Centralia Police Acting Police Chief and Lieutenant Steven Whritenour has detailed the actions of several department members to try and save 12-year-old drowning victim Katelynn Rohrscheib of Centralia near the Raccoon Lake Dam on Friday afternoon.
He says the Centralia Police Department along with the Centralia Fire Department and Lifestar Ambulance were dispatched to the area of the Raccoon Lake Dam for a possible drowning.
Centralia Police Department Officer Blake Dukes was off duty and at the city gun range which is nearby. Centralia 911 Dispatcher Scott Towler contacted Officer Dukes.
Officer Dukes was the first to arrive on the scene and was able to gather information from the victim’s brother about the approximate area where the victim went underwater.
Whritenour says officers arrived on the scene within three minutes. Officer Andrew Brandt entered the water. Officers on the dam were able to see something approximately 50 feet away and guided Officer Brandt to that location. Officer Brandt located the victim and brought her to the surface.
Whritenour then entered the water and swam out to Officer Brandt’s location. Officer Brandt and Lt. Whritenour pulled the victim closer to the shore where Officer Dukes, Officer Curt Griffith, and Officer Steven Daley assisted in getting the victim to awaiting Fire and EMS.
Whritenour says the Centralia Police Department would like to commend everyone that was involved with attempting to save the victim. He says all of their thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family and friends.
