Maine Warden Saved a Florida Woman Stranded in the Crooked River

A Florida woman who got stranded in her vehicle was saved from the Crooked River by a Maine Game Warden.

How Did the Vehicle End Up in the River?

We all secretly hope that, in our darkest hour, there will be a hero to rescue us and take

us to safety. That wish came true for 76-year-old Karen Palmer of Leesburg, Florida, when she drove into a flooded section of the Hunts Corner Road in Waterford Monday night. Her vehicle became stranded in the swollen Crooked River and remained there until her hero arrived on the scene.

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Who Rescued Her?

Maine Game Warden Harry Wiegman would probably tell you he was just doing his job when he came across the flooded portion of road and then noticed a vehicle that appeared to be stuck. But, for Palmer, he was the hero who pulled her from danger. The car was located about 50 yards away from the unflooded section of the road.

When he got out of his truck, Warden Wiegman could hear a woman calling for help and determined that she was alone in the vehicle. He grabbed his float coat (which is a personal floatation device that's a coat) and grabbed another floatation device (PFD) for the woman in the car. Since the water was concealing what was beneath his feet, Weigman carefully shuffled his way to the vehicle.

The water had filled her vehicle halfway up the doors so Palmer was hypothermic and disoriented from the cold, unable to describe how she got stuck or how long she had been there. He got the PFD on her and helped her back to his truck by holding tightly to her body and shielding her from the current as they shuffled back to the truck, through the Crooked River. Once there, she was able to warm up and became more coherent. She told the Warden that she had medication in her vehicle that she absolutely needed.

Was the Woman Okay?

Game Warden Sarah Miller arrived on the scene, at this point, and assisted Wiegman as he want back to the flooded car and retrieved Ms. Palmer's medicine and some personal items. Palmer was examined by EMS personnel and released. She was unable to drive so Warden Wiegman drove her back to Poland, where she's been staying.

Thank you to Warden Wiegman for your quick thinking and calm actions. It may have been just another day at work for you, but for Ms. Palmer it gave her many more days to come.