The Pearl River is high right now with all of the recent rain. People who go into the river for any reason should be cautious and should wear a life jacket.
On April 20, a little before 4 p.m., a frantic call came in to dispatch about a man who had fallen overboard on a small, aluminum boat while running limb lines to catch catfish. He fell in around the Water Park and was barely hanging onto his boat, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The chatter on the scanner was at a fever pitch as first responders and anyone who knew what had happened feared the man would lose his grip and be taken under by the current.
Many first responder agencies had boats placed in the river at various spots in case he was missed by the previous ones. These agencies included the MCSO, the Columbia Police Department, the Columbia Fire Department, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, various volunteer fire department members and Marion County Emergency Management Agency.
An unknown citizen volunteered the use of his boat while the others were en route. MCSO Deputy Tyler Creel and Capt. Pete Williams rushed out with this citizen on his boat and pulled the man to safety and saved his boat. The man was not injured.
"We hate when anything like this happens," MCSO Chief Deputy Jamie Singley said, "but it was a good team effort, and him coming out unharmed was a blessing in itself. We want to thank all of the agencies who assisted as well as that unknown citizen. The people of Marion County are always helpful."
