SYNOPSIS

On 08/12/2023 at approximately 1455 hours, I responded to the area of Long Point regarding an unresponsive individual with possible neck injuries.  The individual was attended to by EMS and was medically transported. 

NARRATIVE

On 08/12/2023 at approximately 1455 hours, I responded to the area of Long Point regarding an unresponsive individual with possible neck injuries. 

Upon arrival on scene at approximately 1500 hours, I noticed an individual lying on the shoreline with multiple people around him performing CPR and checking for a pulse. I checked with the group to see if anyone needed to be switched out in the CPR rotation. Everyone said they were fine to continue assisting subject. An individual on scene said that Victim jumped off the back of the vessel into shallow water and went unconscious and was in the water for approximately 5 minutes. Another individual informed me that the group had been performing CPR for approximately 15 minutes. At that point a member of Elephant Butte Fire Department (EBFD) arrived on scene. I gave him a brief update and he went to attend to Victim. Shortly after more members of EBFD arrived on scene to assist. EMS later arrived but could not get their ambulances down to the beach so. I used my patrol unit to taxi EMS and their equipment down to the scene. 

I then spoke to a subject, who had stated he did not see what had occurred but heard the group calling for help. Subject1 said that he knew CPR, so he came to help, but CPR was already being performed, so he stayed nearby in case they needed help. I also spoke to subject2 who also stated that she didn't see what had occurred, but came to help when she heard people asking for a nurse. 

Officer and I then boarded the vessel, a 2008 Bennington 21 SX pontoon, and took measurements off the stern of the vessel to get approximate water depth, which was 18 inches directly off the stern of the vessel and approximately 2 feet in depth a few feet beyond the stern where a witness had stated she saw Victim floating. 

EMS ambulances were still unable to make their way down to the beach and the EBFD staff did not have a truck bed free, so I brought a patrol unit over to the scene and assisted in loading Victim and the accompanying EMS staff into the bed of the patrol truck and transported them back over to the ambulances. 

Victim was then transported to Sierra Vista Hospital in Truth or Consequences, NM. He was then transferred to Mountain View Hospital in Las Cruces, NM and later transported to University Medical Center in El Paso, TX. Victim's last known condition as of 08/14/2023 was several broken vertebrae and was being prepped for surgery. 

Based upon statements given to other officers on scene. it appears to this officer that Victim dove off the boat into shallow water where he sustained his injuries. It appears to this officer that Victim was in the water for approximately 5 minutes due to other individuals on scene not understanding what had occurred until witnesses came to check on him. Based on statements given to other officers, it would also appear that Victim was under the influence of alcohol at the time of incident and may have been a contributing factor.

Elephant Butte Lake
Elephant Butte                