Officers with the Sartell Police Departments helped rescue a woman who jumped from the Sartell bridge on the afternoon of May 26.
The 63-year-old woman, a Sartell resident, parked her car on the side of the Sartell bridge, then climbed onto the railing and jumped into the Mississippi River. Police received the emergency call from a witness.
A Sartell police officer saw the woman floating on her back in the middle of the river. She appeared to be making efforts to stay afloat, the officer noted. Other officers moved further downstream and began yelling at the woman, who began yelling back for help. One officer urged her to try to reach a large rock in the middle of the river. Meantime, rescue boats were launched.
The woman was able to reach the rock where she rested for a few minutes before letting go and swimming for the Sauk Rapids side of the river bank.
At 3:50 p.m., she managed to reach the shore below where the Fischer’s Garden Mobile-Home Park is. She clung to the shoreline until rescuers could reach her. She was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The incident is under investigation.
Assisting the Sartell police in the rescue were the Sartell Fire Department, the Sauk Rapids Fire and Police departments, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department, Minnesota DNR and Gold Cross Ambulance.
