Woman Drowns After Cops Threaten Rescuers With Arrest, Reportedly Fail to Attempt Rescue Themselves

KFOX TV

A woman in El Paso, Texas, drowned in her car early Monday morning after it got into a drainage ditch. Several bystanders reportedly tried to save the 64-year-old woman but cops stopped them.

KFOX TV reports:

"They went and tried to help this lady, they tried to help her, but the police said they can't, they were yelling and everything, I don't wanna say nothing bad about them, I know they give good service here and everything, but I said 'Oh, my God,'" the witness said. "They hit the window on the driver's side, and she tried to get out but there's a fence right there, and she couldn't get out. So she had all that weight with her and all the water inside. The men got scared, they didn't want to leave, they were mad, so they got scared, people were yelling so they had to leave before they got arrested."

The story about police telling men to leave was backed up by several people who live on Vulcan Avenue right next to where the drowning took place. However, KFOX14 cannot confirm if the woman was dead or alive at that time.

The woman was trapped in the car for an hour and a half before police retrieved the body. Police would not comment on the incident, saying Special Traffic Investigations was investigating.

h/t cavalier973

Comments

[Doctor Whom]

File this under "Without government, who would...?"

[WTF]

Cue dumbphy to defend this shit in 3..2..

[perlhaqr]

"Well, officer, you're going to have to jump down here in the drainage ditch with me to arrest me while I'm saving this woman. And then you'll be down here so you might as well help, first. You pusillanimous poltroon."

[Andrew S.]

You know, Ed, it's too early for nutpunches. Starting to regret that kickstarter purchase...

I'd like to say I'd have told the cops to go fuck themselves and tried to rescue this woman, but then again, if somebody did that, I have a feeling this article would be about a drowned woman and a man shot trying to rescue her.

[Copernicus]

BTW, does El Paso not have a Fire/Rescue Department? In my career with the FD, maximum response time was 5 minutes to anywhere in our primary district.

[Florida Man]

I would have stayed in the water. If I got arrested I would demand a jury trial and they can explain why they arrested a person for trying to save a life.

[SusanM]

"FYTW - you're guilty"

[fuck you tulpa]

don't be stupid

[John]

I agree. Fuck them. I would rather be arrested and go to jail than have to live the rest of my life living with the fact that I watched a person drown and did nothing to stop it.

[Florida Man]

I think what would happen is a ride downtown and then released with no charges. It may cost you an afternoon but at least you can say you did the right thing.

[sarcasmic]

What would happen is the cops would draw their weapons and command you to stop saving the woman's life, and then kill you for failing to obey.

[Almanian!]

AND NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED

[Florida Man]

Maybe. My sister was in a similar situation with a trucker that had a heart attack on the interstate. My sister did CPR on the guy while the cops refused to do anything. My mom, who was with my sister, called the cops "sorry pieces of garbage" for watching a teenage girl try to save a life while they stood around doing nothing.

[Robert]

Why do you think they acted that way? Or at least, why did your mother think they chose to refuse to act?

[sarcasmic]

Depraved indifference.

[John C. Randolph]

Did she save him?

-jcr

[John C. Randolph]

I think what would happen is a ride downtown and then released with no charges.

If I were in that situation, I would certainly file charges against the donut grazers for false arrest, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and whatever else my lawyer could come up with.

-jcr

[Malvolio]

File away. Nothing will happen.

[Copernicus]

"I agree. Fuck them. I would rather be arrested and go to jail than have to live the rest of my life living with the fact that I watched a person drown and did nothing to stop it."

Watching people die, going home safely, and sleeping soundly is all part of the job for the EPPD.

[Swiss Servator, Grundgesetz!]

I am with you FL Man. I could not live with myself if I had walked away because some cop was panicking.

[UnfrozenCavemanTaxpayer]

Union rules. No unlicensed, non-union rescuing will be permitted on their watch.

[John]

Learned helplessness. People become so dependent on rules they are unable to rise above them and do the right thing even when it means life or death.

[invisible furry hand]

That's not thunder. That's the sound of a herd of plaintiff lawyers stampeding a widower

[John]

At some point you would think people would realize everyone is getting sued no matter what and just say fuck it and do the right thing.

[invisible furry hand]

You would hope so. But i was thinking more of the wrongful death suit against the cops (i know, high bar against public officials, but surely worth a shot)

[John]

And some states have reduced or gotten rid of the good Samaritan exception for liability, which was insane.

[invisible furry hand]

seriously? Wow, that's stupid. Unless it's part of a stimulus package for struggling plaintiff lawyers

[Restoras]

Well, legislators are typically lawyers...

[Robert]

But legislators enacted them to begin with. So what changed? I remember when there was understood to be a problem leading to the enactment of those exceptions. What problem then ensued?

[John]

Lawyers and dumb ass juries and judges who just feel terrible that any plaintiff doesn't get paid.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It's one thing to be too afraid to jump in yourself, but to then rage an authority boner against those brave enough to attempt a rescue...

[Rich]

The woman was trapped in the car for an hour and a half before police retrieved the body. Police would not comment on the incident, saying Special Traffic Investigations was investigating.

"STI: El Paso"

Seriously, WTF?

[Swiss Servator, Grundgesetz!]

Worst. Show. Ever.

[Bardas Phocas]

They're "special".

[Rev-Match]

They're "special".

"Special Needs"

[Almanian!]

"Special Ed"

[Fist of Etiquette]

Check out the next line:

Police said STI will continue its investigation to determine Manzanares' route that led her into the water-filled canal.

They're not investigating their own actions, they're investigating how she wound up in the drink.

[Tim]

Can't blame them. All that armor, tasers, flashlights, handcuffs, steel toed boots, giant belt, knives and extra ammo would have taken them straight to the bottom.

[Rich]

Well said.

[Andrew S.]

But then again, fat floats. Maybe they'd just spin around a bunch on top of the water.

[Scarecrow Repair]

Nobody wants pre-dunked donuts.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Civic duty?

Fuck that shit! We'll tell you when it's time to be civil!

[Restoras]

Officers went home safe that night. No firearms were discharged. No dogs were killed. No babies were burned. There's nothing to investigate.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

...and pensions are in tact.

Cop 1: "Shame about the lady, huh."
Cop 2: "Yup. We did what we could."
Cop 1: "Yeah. It's a tough job."
Cop 2: "Yup. We played this one right."
Cop 1: "Yeah."
Cop 2: "Wanna get a beer?"
Cop 1: "Yeah."

Both walk over body.

[hamilton]

You forgot the mutual congratulations and admiration for heroic action.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Cop 1: "Shame about the lady, huh."
Cop 2: "Yup. We did what we could."
Cop 1: "Yeah. It's a tough job."
Cop 2: "Yup. We played this one right."
Cop 1: "Yeah."
Cop 2: "Wanna get a beer?"
Cop 1: "Yeah."
Cop 2: "I could really use a high five."
Cop 1: "I'll do you one better..."

Taps Cop 2 on bum as they run over body.

[Almanian!]

*SLAP*

[sarcasmic]

[Roger the Shrubber]

You missed.

[Rev-Match]

Several bystanders reportedly tried to save the 64-year-old woman but cops stopped them.

"To protect & Serve". (or something)

[Idaho Bob]

(the state)

[Almanian!]

OK, with all my usual HyR commenter snark aside, what the actual FUCK??

For what earthly reason would the cops tell people to stop when there's no one else to help (e.g. if "you're in the way of the firefighters or ERT or whomever - please let them through"). Cause I could understand that.

But...no - just "STOP HELPING!" That can't be right, right? RIGHT?

Lord, please tell me there's more to this and this is a horribly slanted story that leaves out crucial facts that makes these fucking evil pricks something other than eveil pricks.

Cause otherwise, I might have to go all "Death Wish", but with a different....target objective.

Jesus motherfucking antiCHRIST already! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!!!

[John]

It really makes you hate what this country has turned into.

[antisocial-ist]

I've had a somewhat similar experience. Squirrels ate my post on it, but yeah, we're that fucked.

[perlhaqr]

For what earthly reason would the cops tell people to stop when there's no one else to help

The only even vaguely possible justification for this that I can think of is the SAR adage of "Don't become a victim yourself". i.e.: If the people doing the rescuing would--lacking the proper equipment to effect the rescue--themselves end up in need of rescue.

Of course, that's usually to avoid a scenario where more rescuers are placed in danger, and since it's not like the cops were going to jump in and help it's not like their risk level was going to be increased...

[Brandybuck]

I'm imagining it was about liability for the city if someone got hurt trying to save her. I'm imagining the cops having attended a liability awareness workshop the week before.

[sarcasmic]

Yesterday Dunphy was bragging about running into a burning building and saving someone's life.

I call bullshit.

Cops don't run into burning buildings. They stop people from running into burning buildings.

[John]

Even if it were true, which I doubt, it doesn't matter. I don't care what he has done. He defends cowards who shoot people on sight, which makes him if as bad as they are bad enough.

[Robert]

Why do you doubt it? Police have been known to do such things.

Unfortunately here in NYC there has long been tension between FDNY & NYPD, but they have been known to cooperate at times.

[PRX]

shorter Dunphy and all cops: better 100 innocent civilians die than 1 officer not go home safely.

[Copernicus]

"Yesterday Dunphy was bragging about running into a burning building and saving someone's life."

I believe that story took place in his previous life when he lived in Honolulu and he was a Lifeguard/Fireman/Policeman/Polynesian fire dancer.

[Pulseguy]

Easy to check. A policeman running into a burning building and saving someone is front page news. Someone should ask him what City he is in.

[antisocial-ist]

FUCK! I just wrote a long ass post about the time my brother got lost while kayaking and the cops trying to stop me and my dad from going up river in a john boat. Fucking squirrels got it. Anyway, moral of the story was cops are like dumb animals with guns instead of teeth. Like most animals, they follow a pack mentality. When dealing with cops IME the best thing to do is establish yourself as the pack leader without appearing aggressive. And never ever show fear, they can smell it and will react similar to a wild predator that smells fear.

[Res ipsa loquitur]

Bravery, you just can't teach it.

[Protagoronus]

It's OK guys, Mary is in the comment section over at the KFox14 site letting them know how horrible reason and the commentariat is for thinking the cops are assholes for ordering first responders to stop trying to help.

[Batgirl]

To protect and serve.

[cavalier973]

Whoa! I got my first hat tip!

[cavalier973]

Doesn't make me feel any better. I'd rather the woman be alive right now.

[DK]

Yeah, an Oddjob hat, right on the tip.

[Invisible Finger]

Now I know how the Iraqi police forces were trained.

[John C. Randolph]

What did this woman know, and why did the cops want her dead?

-jcr

[cbpelto]

RE: These 'To Serve and To Protect' Police

Tar and feathers aren't enough for these blackguards.

DRAG THEM NAKED THROUGH CACTUS!

[perlhaqr]

Ah yes, The Cholla Treatment.

[cbpelto]

P.S. And THEN Tar and Feathers?..

[Vulgar Madman]

You can't just have a bunch of "civilians" show up the police. I hate these fucks.

[Sardondi]

Any doubt on what would have happened if the poor woman had been an illegal alien who got trapped while making an unlawful entry into the country? Yeah - EPPD would have moved heaven and earth to save her. But as it was, the lady was just a citizen, so too bad.

[dagny]

Arrested them for what? I would like to read the law they were breaking. How exactly is that worded?

[Catatafish]

"Failure to obey a lawful command" is usually how that shite is worded. Obviously we would take issue with the "lawful" part but that's generally the cover that is given by the "respect my authoritah" types.

[PACW]

One of the comments:
"I agree vader - but I have to say, if I saw a Tea Party or 'family values'(because sociopathy has now become 'family values' bumper sticker, I'd definitely think twice. These psychos clearly don't believe that they benefit from society - they state over and over again that they want to destroy it. I definitely wouldn't rescue those who support America's right wing 'values'. It's be like rescuing a Nazi. I just couldn't do it."

When am I going to learn, Never Read The Comments!!!!! (Except for Reason, of course)