Off-Duty CHP Officer Rescues Hiker From Angel Falls Waterfall

MADERA COUNTY (CBS13) — An off-duty CHP officer got creative to help save a hiker who was frozen in fear and about to go over a waterfall in the Sierra National Forest.

Brent Donley went from a mellow family hike to a frantic few minutes after being called into action along Willow Creek Trail.

"A lady approached me and said, 'Hey, do you have a rope? And I said, 'No', I don't have a rope,' and she explained to me there was somebody in the water that was about to go down the waterfall," Donley said. "I walked over to where everybody was standing and there was a bunch of people there and they were trying to figure out what to do. And how to get him out of the water."

That hiker was in a panic and numb, telling Donley he couldn't feel his arms or legs and that the current of the waterfall was tugging him toward the edge.

Without a rope, but with rescue training, Donley turned to his backpack, putting the sturdy string to the test.

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"So I cut the drawstring out of it and we tied two pieces together. I had my son-in-law grab one side and I grabbed the other and we stretched it out just to make sure that it was strong enough to do what we were about to do," Donley said.

With that string and the strongest stick he could find, Donley told the guy to grab hold, knowing seconds counted.

"I wasn't panicked at all. I just was trying to be quick about it because I didn't know how much more time he had in the water," Donley said.

Ten minutes later the rescue was complete and the victim airlifted from the Angel Falls Waterfall, thankful his angel was waiting in the wings to pull him out of one rough spot.

The Madera County Sheriff's Office says last year 90% of its water rescues along that trail were at that same location.