Three quick-acting Aurora Police officers and an Aurora Fire Lieutenant pulled a woman from the Fox River late Friday night, saving her life.
Just after 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Aurora’s 911 Center received a report of a woman spotted in the Fox River near the New York Street bridge and was reported to be floating downstream in the current. Multiple officers responded, along with the Aurora Fire Department, and started setting up on bridges downstream to begin searching for the woman. APD’s Drone Team was also responding to help provide a bird’s eye view to help find the woman.
Approximately 11 minutes after the initial 911 call, an APD officer spotted the woman floating in the water in the 100 block of South River Street. Through quick actions by Aurora Police Officer Shane Leadbetter, Officer Jason Contreras, Sgt. Jeff Talley, and Aurora Fire Lt. Steve Buono, they were able to run down to the bank of the river and quickly pull the woman out of the quick-moving current.
The woman was conscious and breathing. Aurora Fire Department paramedics transported her to an area hospital.
The National Weather Service has been monitoring an increased current and high waters levels on the Fox River over the past few days. On Friday, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources closed the Fox River through Aurora to recreational boats, until further notice, due to the high water and increased current.
— Aurora Police Department