Presumed dead after river plunge, man turns up alive

news link
MONTPELIER, Vt. -- A man wanted for shoplifting led police on a foot chase, jumped into a river and was presumed dead _ until officers knocked on his door 12 hours later and he answered.


"I thought I'd seen just about everything," said Police Chief Douglas Hoyt.



Rescue squads from Montpelier and neighboring Berlin were called in, unsuccessfully searching the river and its banks for about two hours before a Vermont State Police dive team took over.


They were "clearly not in rescue mode but were in recovery mode," Hoyt said.


On Tuesday, Sgt. James Gavin and Officer Matt Knisley went to an apartment where Record was believed to have lived to gather information about him, believing he was dead. He answered the door.


"I believe you're here to see me about an arrest warrant," said Record, who told them he hadn't done much Monday night except "try to walk on water," according to Hoyt.

"I believe you're here to see me about an arrest warrant," said Record, who told them he hadn't done much Monday night except "try to walk on water," according to Hoyt.

I'm thankful no one was hurt and hate LE was put through the anguish...but you have to admit - the guy's remark on being apprehended is too funny. I bet he was scared almost to death...

"Try to walk on Water"

Ya gotta just love a happy ending!

Yeah, kudos to the guy for having a sense of humor about his situation and acknowledging his crime in such a way. Hopefully he'll turn his life of crime around and put his good sense of humor and swimming skills to good use.

news link
Crews pulled the body of 23 year-old Cole Patchen from the Winooski River in Montpelier late Sunday.


At first, investigators thought it was 31-year-old Travis Record. But he was later found alive at his apartment.





Police say the body was first seen - floating face down -- by a jogger on the bike path. The East Montpelier man was identified by Corrections Officials - who say that Patchen was on escape status as of this past week. We don't know what crime he was convicted of. It's not clear how Patchen died. State Police have been called in to investigate.
news script

news link
When the body of Cole Patchen, a 23-year-old restaurant cook, turned up in the river Sunday, they acknowledged he was the fleeing suspect who jumped into the river in the Aug. 21 incident, not Record.

The resemblance between the two "was absolutely stunning. White sneakers, blue jeans, brown shirt, close-cropped hair, couple days' growth of beard," Hoyt said.

Both might have had reason to avoid police.