Hero or Felon? Police Charge River Guide For Trying To Rescue 13-Year-Old Girl

Ryan Daniel Snodgrass, 28, would be a hero in most people’s book. However, the guide with Arkansas Valley Adventures was arrested by the Clear Creek sheriff’s office after he swam to a stranded 13-year-old rafter who fell off her boat in Colorado. Officers ordered no one to help the young rafter until a county rescue team was ready. Sheriff Don Krueger (left) is reportedly considering additional charges against another guide.

One can certainly understand the frustration of police who do not want more people to become endangered in a rescue. Yet, an arrest seems a bit severe and the guide had a good reason to make contact. Snodgrass was charged with “obstructing government operations” by swimming over to the rafter.

The police department is considering charging another guide with the same offense.

Duke Bradford, owner of Arkansas Valley Adventures, stands by his staff and says that they should not have waited for the county team to make contact: “When you have someone in sight who has taken a long swim, you need to make contact immediately.”

The girl had been missing for 30 to 45 minutes and had just finished swimming a half mile from the spot where the raft capsized.

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