Sheriff’s Deputies Recognized for Actions During Water Rescue at Sardis Lake

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department recently recognized three of its own for their efforts in saving two men from Sardis Lake after their fishing boat turned over.

On April 11, Maj. Alan Wilburn, Capt. Jarrett Bundren and Investigator Michah East responded to Hurricane Landing with the Sheriff’s Department boat after a call came into 911 about the possibility of two men being in the water and in trouble.

The winds were strong and most fishers had left the water due to the weather.

As the three law enforcement officers were unloading the LCSD rescue boat, two men pulled up and said they were the ones who called 911 and led the deputies to the area where they spotted the men in the water.

As they got closer to the water, the three men spotted a man holding onto the tip of a sunken boat while holding onto another man.

Neither man was wearing a life vest, according to Sheriff Joey East.

“They were extremely exhausted and freezing since they had been in the cold water for over an hour waiting on help to arrive,” East said.

The deputies were able to get the two men loaded into the rescue boat and back to shore where firefighters and an ambulance were waiting.

They were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi where they were treated and released.

“These three men worked nonstop rescuing the men from the water,” East said of Wilburn, Bundren and East. “Because of their actions and quick thinking, these two men survived the boating accident.”