Behind the Badge
With Orange County continuing to be hammered by a second El Niño-fueled storm this week, the Garden Grove PD said Wednesday an officer rescued a homeless woman being carried away by flowing water in a drainage ditch.
The rescue occurred at 12:17 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6 at Taft Street and Westminster Avenue, the GGPD said in a news release.
The female transient, 42, was floating southbound toward Westminster Avenue when the first officer arrived on the scene. The drainage ditch parallels Taft Street near Ranney Avenue.
The officer was able to climb down the rock embankment on the south side of Westminster Avenue and grab the female as she floated by, police said.
The woman was pulled to shore and treated by paramedics and transported to Garden Grove Medical Center for evaluation for exposure.
The GGPD determined that a significant downpour caused the drainage area where the woman was attempting to seek shelter to quickly rise without warning and force her downstream.
“We want to emphasize the importance of staying out of the drainage areas and potential flood areas in this inclement weather season,” Garden Grove PD Lt. Bob Bogue said.
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