16-year-old Uintah boy is critical after near drowning

Published: Friday, June 20, 2008 12:04 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
A 16-year-old Uintah County boy is in critical condition at a Salt Lake-area hospital following a near drowning in an irrigation canal.

Uintah County Sheriff's Lt. John Laursen said it appeared that Ryan K. O'Driscoll of Tridell and another juvenile were swimming on Wednesday afternoon in a canal that feeds Steinaker Reservoir after sliding down a concrete flume.

Laursen said O'Driscoll was caught in an undertow and was unable to free himself. Attempts by the other juvenile to pull O'Driscoll from the water led to that youth being pulled under and almost drowning. Employees of the Uintah Water Conservancy District heard screams for help and responded from the head gate of the canal. Laursen said while one employee returned to the head gate to slow the water flow, another entered the water, and a third employee held on to a rope securing the employee in the water.

The employee in the water pulled the second teen out of the water to the canal bank, then returned to the water and was able to rescue O'Driscoll. Water district employees started CPR on O'Driscoll, who was transported to Ashley Valley Medical Center in Vernal before being flown to Salt Lake for further treatment.

Story continues below

Laursen said this is the second near-drowning incident in Uintah County in recent weeks.

Recent comments

I'm so sorry about Ryan and my prayers are with the family. My...

Gene | July 8, 2008 at 2:38 p.m.

Bob, Ryan was taken off of life support Friday at 12:45 P.M. and...

Ryans Aunt | June 22, 2008 at 5:53 p.m.

Those water company employees are heros who saved two lives at risk...

Bob | June 20, 2008 at 11:45 p.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

Palin not a point guard

Yeah it a lot better to give some crazy marxist/communist nut with a MESSIAH...

The body is not a prison

If anyone says its a halfway house, I'll scream.

Palin mistreated

There is more than one Can of spammed HAM on this blog. I'm for Palin, and...

Jackson memorial performers announced as L.A. braces

Irony so thick...

What happened to Luis Miguel Escalada?

Return to original

What does the 10th admendment say? Your ignorance is showing.

That is one way to get rid of Chaffetz. Good riddance, I say.

I remember when the GSL ran along I-5. Legacy Highway today would have been...

As a support ridder you usually are infront of the team leader working for...

Star Wars:The Original Trilogy would rock in 3D! It is cool to see great...

Advertisements