Dolphin leaps onto boat, breaking California woman's ankles
SANTA ANA, Calif. -- A dolphin leaped onto a boat in Southern California, crashing into a woman and breaking both her ankles.
Chrissie Frickman was boating with her husband and two children June 21 when a pod of dolphins swam alongside them. One of the animals jumped on the vessel, knocking Frickman over and landing on her legs.
Her husband, Dirk, pulled her out and called authorities as he headed toward an Orange County harbor.
While he steered, he splashed water on the 350-pound dolphin to keep it alive as it thrashed around and bled from some cuts -- and as Frickman told CBS radio station KNX 1070, from there the scene got pretty messy.
"It's kickin' and bangin' and smackin' and once it did, it cut up its nose and got a few cuts on its tail, and as it shimmied its way around the boat, you know, the blood just started spattering everywhere," he said.
Dirk Frickman got help pulling the dolphin onto a dock with a rope and then releasing it.
"The dolphin was hopefully saved," Frickman said. "It swam away with no problem."
His wife is still recovering from her injuries.
Harbor Patrol Sgt. DJ Haldeman confirmed the incident. He said sea lions have been known to jump aboard boats before, but that this is the first he's heard of a dolphin doing the same.
"I don't know what was in the water, but something must have scared it out," Haldeman said.