26-year-old man apparently drowns in Boulder Creek
Boulder – A 26-year-old man apparently drowned in Boulder Creek on Sunday when he fell from an inner tube in a particularly turbulent section of the creek near the mouth of Boulder Canyon and was swept downstream, Detective Lt. Phil West said in a prepared statement.
The victim’s name wasn’t released pending notification of next of kin.
He suffered “significant physical trauma” from being battered around in the rushing water of the rock-strewn creek, West said.
The man was pulled from the water in Eben G. Fine Park in the city of Boulder by a passer-by about 5:30 p.m., he said. Others at the scene attempted to revive the victim, but he was declared dead at the scene, West said.
FOUNTAIN
Bad water valve leads to ban on sprinklers
The city of Fountain banned lawn watering Sunday after a valve malfunction at a water treatment plant cut off 60 percent of its water supply.
The mandatory restriction on outside irrigation was in effect until at least Tuesday, when repairs should be complete.
The town’s 21,000 residents were asked to use water only for drinking, cooking and bathing until then. Available water is treated and safe to use, said Larry Patterson, Fountain utility director.
Wells that provide the other 40 percent of Fountain’s water should be enough for domestic uses, Patterson said. But the utility wanted to make sure there was enough water for firefighters with the fire danger rated extremely high.
The malfunction at the Fountain Valley Authority water treatment plant occurred when a backwash stop valve locked up, preventing water from being filtered, Patterson said.
The watering restriction comes amid rising water use.
On June 4, Patterson said, usage reached 5.1 million gallons. The average for this time of year is 3.9 million gallons, he said.
It was not immediately known why the roughly 20-year-old valve broke, but age could be a factor, Patterson said.
AURORA
11-year-old treated for rattlesnake bite
An 11-year-old boy was bitten by a rattlesnake in the 900 block of South Walden Way in Aurora on Saturday night.
The incident occurred near large, open fields around Buckley Air Force Base.
The boy was taken to the Medical Center of Aurora and given antivenin.
Aurora firefighters say if confronted by a rattlesnake, do not make sudden or aggressive movements. The snake won’t strike unless it’s annoyed. Back away slowly.
If bitten, try to remain calm and keep the bite lower than your heart.
Also, get a description of the snake that bit you and pass it on to authorities.
Do not cut the affected area in an attempt to remove the venom.
BOULDER
Ambulances won’t rush to fires anymore
A fatal crash has caused Boulder to rethink its initial response to fires.
Fire Chief Larry Donner said ambulances will not speed to fires unless there is a clear indication of threat to life.
“Even if there’s a call of smoke and flames, they’re going to run non-emergency,” Donner said. “The thought is it would take us (firefighters) a little while to set up and make an interior attack, and if there was anyone inside, the ambulance would still arrive in a timely fashion to help any victims we might find at the fire scene.”
On May 1, an ambulance with its sirens on and flashing hit a car driven by Hannah Boemker, 16, of Lafayette, killing her. The fire call turned out to be a false alarm.
Although the driver was following the rules, officials say, a policy change was needed.
Ambulances will travel to fires at normal speeds and not run stoplights unless it is confirmed that paramedics are needed immediately.
PROVO, Utah
Loveland High grad missing in plane crash
A Loveland High School graduate and two other men are missing and presumed dead after the plane they were in crashed into Utah Lake.
Missing are 31-year-old Blaine Pugmire of Springville, Utah; 35-year-old Harold “Les” McGuire of Highland; and 35-year-old Ray Hooper of Mapleton.
McGuire grew up in Loveland and is a 1989 graduate of Loveland High School.
Pugmire was flying McGuire and Hooper from a conference when the single-engine turboprop crashed during a storm shortly before midnight Thursday.
