Deputies with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said they rescued a woman from churning water in the Russian River on Monday despite her putting up a fight.
At about 4:20 p.m., a 911 call came in reporting a child being swept down the river from Johnson's Beach in Guerneville. At the time, the water was very cold and the river was high due to recent rains, resulting in rapids and debris.
According to the sheriff's office, Sgt. Gary Lawson saw the person struggling to stay afloat where Fife Creek enters the river. Lawson went into the water and a deputy tossed him a life vest, which he put on.
When Lawson reached the person in danger, he realized it was a not a child but was a woman, later identified as Lacey Mosher, 38.
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The sheriff's office alleges that Mosher "immediately began fighting" with the sergeant and pushed him under the water. There was a struggle, but Lawson was able to maneuver them across the river, where he grabbed on to a bush about 15 feet from the shore, the sheriff's office said.
At that point, another deputy jumped into the river and swam over to help. The sheriff's office alleges that Mosher continued to fight off the sergeant and the deputy, and that deep, fast-moving water was making it impossible for them to swim back to land.
Sonoma County Fire District firefighters arrived by boat and rescued Mosher first, due to the small size of the boat, they said. They then returned to rescue Lawson and Deputy Cody McCready, who had both been the water for 25 minutes and had to be treated at the scene for exposure.
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Once rescued, the sheriff's office alleges Mosher continued to assault first responders and medical staff at the hospital.
"This was an extremely difficult call for our deputies and dispatchers," said the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office on Facebook. "Deputies on land lost sight of the two deputies in the water. Both deputies came close to losing their lives white they rescued Mosher, which ultimately saved her life."
The sheriff's office on Tuesday said that Mosher has been arrested on suspicion of felony resisting arrest, felony battery on a police officer, misdemeanor being under the influence of drugs and felony violation of probation.
