Accidental slip sends woman down American River
Garden Valley resident’s survival cautionary tale to others
A woman who slipped and fell into the icy American River was rescued via helicopter Monday evening. At about 4:48 p.m., Cal Fire emergency crews received a call that a female, later identified as 44-year-old Jennifer Boche of Garden Valley, was in the water at the American River Confluence in Auburn. A few minutes later the dispatch center received a second report that a witness heard someone screaming for help and the person “appeared exhausted and floating down the river with water at the waist level,” according to Rachel Sierer Wooden, a Cal Fire communication operator. “At the time, they were unable to get out of the water,” Sierer Wooden said. California Highway Patrol’s helicopter was close by and responded to the call as well as state park ranger Scott Liske. Liske said he was the first ground unit on the scene and saw the helicopter as it was hovering above Boche. Liske said he threw a grab bag for Boche to hold on to. The helicopter then landed close to, if not in, the river and a paramedic leaned down to pull Boche out. Liske said initially the helicopter landed off to the side of the river to check on Boche’s condition. “She was so cold she could hardly walk,” Liske said. Liske said Boche could talk and was “scared.” Medical personnel at the scene decided to airlift Boche up to Foresthill Road, which was temporarily shut down, to transport her via ambulance to a hospital. However, Boche signed a waiver refusing transport against medical advice, according to Sierer Wooden. No reason was given. Liske said he later spoke with Boche and her friend, John Craig, 53, of Garden Valley, who was also wet after reportedly jumping in the river to try to grab Boche. Liske said the duo had grabbed lunch at In-N-Out burger and were eating along the middle fork of the American River when Boche stood up and slipped backward. “She fell in the water, she went under and the current took her down river,” Liske said. Liske estimates that Boche traveled about 50 yards downstream until emergency crews were able to save her. He said Boche had tried to grab different objects as she floated but everything was slippery with slime. After emergency crews left, Liske said Boche was inside her car with a blanket over her and slowly warming up. She and Craig said they were going home, Liske said. “She’s very thankful to all the rescue personnel,” Liske said. “She said, ‘I have a lot of letters of thanks to write.’” Liske said Boche is “very, very lucky” to survive and is a cautionary tale as the warm spring weather starts to invite river-goers to the confluence. Liske said especially during the April and May months, they advise people to stay out of the cold and fast river. He said the river will remain that way for the next few months as snow continues to melt. “We don’t advise anyone to really go in the water until the current has slowed way down,” Liske said. “This woman was not planning on going in the water but is a prime example of how an accident can happen.” Liske cautions that anyone near the river wear a personal flotation device because not only the strong current but the cold temperatures can drain any swimmer. He also advised that parents keep a very close eye on children. “This is a story with a great outcome,” Liske said. “She survived and was rescued without injury but often they’re not that way.” The Journal's Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment.
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Aye...Davey Jones' locker be awaitin, don't ya know!
This lady probably doesn't realize how fortunate she is. The rivers are beautiful this time of the year but they are also at their deadliest. People, for your own safety, stay away from the shoreline.
Im glad she is ok, but i question, send a helicopter? we have rescue teams in place for this that are deployed immediately...
With that cold of water, I doubt she would have lived long enough for a ground team to arrive and resucue her. One lucky lady and from her point of view that helicopter must have been the most beautiful thing in the whole world. Great job by all.
Another moving comment from auburnite. The rescue team as you put it can not respond quickly enough in most cases to actually save anyone in the river with the water tempertures what they are. The rescue team basically is a recovering team at this time of the year. This victim had minutes of survival at the time she went into the water. The helicopter that we are so fortunate to have stationed in Auburn was able to quickly respond and save this lady in what would have been a tragic event. Auburnite I wish you would stop posting comments on this as you appear to be one bitter person who has nothing better to do than compalin. Next time just ry to be a compassionate caring person. I know it would be acting but give it a shot.
auburnite I couldn't agree with hankbomb's comment more. You never have anything good or positive to post. There is an old saying out there "If you have nothing good to say then say nothing at all" For those of us that are very tired of reading your snide hateful comments this would be a god send.
Auburnite..... You are free to express your thoughts.... I as well as others may not agree and will offer why in some cases your off base. I realize some people often think outside of what are normal lines. That is why we have a diverse population. So if the rescue team is better... break it down for me. How long to notify them. How long for them to respond. How long to get to the patient. How long to set up and perform the rescue. How long to get the patient up to the road for treatment. Still feel the same about the rescue team?
THANK GOD AUBURNITE IS NOT A 911 DISPATCHER.
OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN PULLING A BODY OUT OF THAT RIVER!
I didnt know there were so many experts here on dispatch times, costs and such, I apologize for my ignorance.....
That lady owes her life to Governor Schwartzeniger. He's the one that moved the CHP back to Auburn after Lord Davis sent them down to Sacramento as punishment. If they were based down there the odds of them being nearby would have been much much lower.
NO PROBLEM AUBURNITE, BEING WITH THE NATIONAL SKI PATROL, AND HAVING MY SRT 1 AND 2, (SWIFT WATER RESCUE TECH)
A HELICOPTER IS ONE OF THE LAST PIECES OF EQUIPMENT YOU WANT TO USE IN A RESCUE, IT'S DANGEROUS FOR ALL THAT ARE INVOLVED, AND SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A LAST RESORT. THIS LOOKS TO BE A LAST RESORT, PLUS IT WAS IN THE AIR ALREADY, AND IN THE AREA.
When will people learn that hambergers and swift moving rivers just don't mix?
Thankfully, this lady survived her ordeal. Many have not.
With the warmer weather coming quickly upon us, there will soon be someone else who gets into the water and won't be as lucky.
For years this is what I've called "drowning weather". Unfortunately, people will continue to make this a true statement with their misunderstanding of the danger that this stretch of waterway poses to the uninformed. But, it doesn't need to happen if people would only use some common sense by taking some basic precautions.
One nice thing that has added to the public safety is the addition of flotation vests that are free to use and located on the shore at the confluence. I have no idea how many people have avoided drowning due to the availability of these safety devices, but It's nice they're there.
Thank you to whomever made that possible.