DETROIT, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- A Detroit police officer said he rescued two men, one a paraplegic, from St. Clair Lake while out fishing by himself.
Anthony Johnson, a 23-year veteran of the police force, said he was wrapping up an unsuccessful day of fishing this week when he noticed a man in the lake desperately attempting to keep his disabled friend from submerging, the Detroit Free Press said Thursday.
Johnson, 49, said he was unable to pull either of the men into his boat Tuesday, but managed to hold onto the disabled man while the other man pulled himself into Johnson's vessel.
The second man, identified as Scott Rozansky, 48, then rested before helping Johnson pull the partially paralyzed man, identified as Thomas Nierzwick, 49, into Johnson's 20-foot Triton bass boat.
Johnson told the Free Press the men became trapped alone in the lake after Nierzwick fell into the water and Rozansky attempted to rescue him.
"They were out fishing and he makes a sharp turn," Johnson explained. "I don't know if a wave hit him, but it knocked the paraplegic into the water. He jumped out to get him. The boat drifted too far."
