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Officers, citizen pull man from cold Lake Oahe


A late night swim in Lake Oahe Saturday, June 15, could have turned into a tragedy if not for the combined efforts of two agencies and a local resident.
According to Mobridge Police Chief Shawn Madison, a caller reported an intoxicated friend had decided to take a swim in the lake, near the railroad turn around, south of Mobridge. The E911 dispatcher received the call at 10:03 p.m. Two officers arrived on the scene minutes later to observe John Flying Horse, Jr., in the lake and refusing to listen to James Garter, who was trying to convince him to come ashore.
Officers Tom Strickland and Nickolas Bratland joined Garter in trying to get Flying Horse to leave the cold water, which is still in the 50 degrees range. He continued to refuse.
Strickland then contacted the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks to request assistance with a boat.
Strickland and GFP Officer Jacob Schwint boarded a boat at Indian Creek and headed back to where Flying Horse was in the water.
He had come on shore for several minutes, but decided he wanted to go back into the water despite the efforts of Bratland and Garter to keep him out of the water.
When Strickland and Schwint arrived with the boat, Flying Horse was beginning to become unresponsive. When Garter helped the officers lift him into the boat, it was reported he was unresponsive and had a slow pulse at that time. According to the police report, Flying Horse was pulled from the water at 10:52 p.m.
The Mobridge Ambulance Service met the officers at the boat dock at Indian Creek and transported Flying Horse to Mobridge Regional Hospital and Clinics.
“I think the officers at the scene handled the situation well,” said Madison. “Along with the help of James Garter and the cooperation of the agencies, the four of them probably saved this man’s life.”
Flying Horse was treated at MRH&C and released.
– Katie Zerr –

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