Cottage Grove man hospitalized after jumping into river to flee Hudson police

• River rescue

A Cottage Grove man was pulled from the St. Croix River Sunday night after he jumped into the water from the dike road foot bridge in Lakefront Park while fleeing Hudson police. He was taken to Regions Hospital for treatment. Photo courtesy of Dave Urban

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A Cottage Grove man had to be rescued by Hudson, Wis., authorities after he tried to flee by jumping into the St. Croix River.

David Delmore, 27, was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul after being pulled from the St. Croix River about 6:30 p.m. Sunday just under the dike road foot bridge near downtown Stillwater.

Delmore jumped into the water from the bridge and came up floundering, according to Hudson Police Chief Marty Jensen.

The incident began when a Hudson police officer, who was on a break from patrol in the park, was approached and told there was a man who appeared to be passed out at the beach.

Hall found Delmore on the sand and attempted to rouse him to check on his welfare. When he awoke, Jensen said he became alarmed and bolted, running across the park to the dike road which was closed for the fireworks scheduled for later that night. It was there he ran into more police officers and apparently jumped from the bridge to avoid them.

Jensen said the the Hudson Police Department’s water rescue boat was already on the scene along with a sheriff’s department boat and the DNR. When Delmore surfaced, he appeared to be in distress and authorities pulled him from the water. Paramedics on the scene said it appeared that Delmore had swallowed a considerable amount of water and that he should be transported to the hospital for treatment.

Jensen said there were no outstanding warrants on Delmore and it is unclear why he fled.

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