Idaho deputies honored for saving man who drove into canal

IDAHO FALLS — Three Bonneville County Sheriff deputies were honored by the American Red Cross for saving a man who drove into a canal full of water.

Sgt. Jared Hurt, Dep. Korey Payne and Dep. Chris Rix responded to a vehicle crash on E. Lincoln Rd. on Sept. 28, 2015 around midnight. They discovered a car was upside down in the canal.

“Sgt. Hurt jumped in the water first and I went in on the same side where he was trying to get to the vehicle,” Payne tells EastIdahoNews.com. “You could hear him screaming inside the car – trying to get out.”

“The water pressure on the vehicle, and maybe some damage from the crash, was pinching the doors closed so we couldn’t get them open,” Rix adds.

After utilizing several tools and a neighbor’s tractor, the deputies were able to stabilize the vehicle and eventually gain access.

Another first responder was able to enter the vehicle and cut the man out of his seatbelt. The deputies then assisted in getting the victim to the canal bank where he was treated for his injuries by arriving ambulance personnel.

“When someone is saved and they can be helped and we can be a part of that, it’s a good feeling,” says Payne.

Last year, Hurt, Rix and Payne received a State of Idaho Medal of Honor from Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden.

Then, earlier this month, the deputies were selected as 2017 ‘East Idaho Real Heroes’ by the American Red Cross of Greater Idaho. They were honored during a luncheon in Idaho Falls where they accepted their awards.

“I really appreciate it but all these other deputies are doing amazing things every day and they should be recognized,” Rix says.