Richard Domotor, Sr., helped to save Scott A. and saved Christopher J. Brown from drowning, Ledgedale, Pennsylvania, July 5, 2003. Scott, 2, and his brother Christopher, 8 months old, were restrained in car seats secured to the rear seat of a sport utility vehicle that rolled down a boat ramp and began to submerge in Lake Wallenpaupack. Nearby on the bank, Domotor, 44, off-duty police officer, saw the accident. He immediately ran to the ramp, then entered the water and swam to the vehicle. He entered the vehicle head first through the opened driver’s window, extended his upper body into the back-seat area, and, with assistance from the boys’ father, who also had swum out, freed Scott from his car seat. Removed from the vehicle by his father, Scott was taken to the bank. As Domotor worked to free Christopher from his seat, the vehicle, then about 40 feet from the bank, quickly sank the 12 feet to the bottom of the lake, taking Domotor with it. With no visibility in the murky water, Domotor continued his attempt to free Christopher, then, running out of air, yanked him from the seat. He cradled the boy under his arm, exited the vehicle through the driver’s window, and surfaced. Although nearly exhausted, Domotor swam back to the bank, Christopher on his chest, then lay on the ramp to recover. Christopher was taken to the hospital, where he was found to be uninjured, as was Scott.
77036 – 8775
77036-8775