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A man who reportedly dove into shallow water at the Yuba River Sunday afternoon remains in critical condition after being taken by helicopter to Sutter Roseville Medical Center.
The accident occurred at about 2 p.m. Sunday on the river just above South Yuba River State Park at Bridgeport.
Mark Davis, a fire captain with the Forest Service in Oroville, reportedly was with a group of friends who had been jumping feet-first from the same location. He dove into the water head-first, witnesses said.
“He floated up and was floating face-down,” an eyewitness who did not want to be identified said. “At first, I thought he was joking around.”
She added that initially, bystanders were slow to react.
“Then it looked like he was having a seizure,” she said.
Bystanders then pulled him up to the edge of the water, she said, estimating he had been floating for less than a minute.
Because there was no cell phone reception at the accident site, it took about 20 minutes for a state parks ranger to be contacted and to arrive, she said.
Firefighters from Penn Valley's Lake Wildwood station responded, as did North San Juan firefighters.
“He had no feeling or movement from the neck down,” said Penn Valley Fire Chief Gene Vander Plaats.
Vander Plaats said Davis had not regained sensation as of Monday; the hospital would confirm only that he remains in critical condition.
Davis, 39, is a “hot shot,” a member of the elite wildland firefighting crew based out of the Feather River Ranger District in Oroville.
“Mark Davis is a valued member of the Feather River Ranger District and an excellent hot shot captain,” said Ranger Karen Hayden.
Hayden said Davis lives locally, but did not provide any other information.
The accident occurred at about 2 p.m. Sunday on the river just above South Yuba River State Park at Bridgeport.
Mark Davis, a fire captain with the Forest Service in Oroville, reportedly was with a group of friends who had been jumping feet-first from the same location. He dove into the water head-first, witnesses said.
“He floated up and was floating face-down,” an eyewitness who did not want to be identified said. “At first, I thought he was joking around.”
She added that initially, bystanders were slow to react.
“Then it looked like he was having a seizure,” she said.
Bystanders then pulled him up to the edge of the water, she said, estimating he had been floating for less than a minute.
Because there was no cell phone reception at the accident site, it took about 20 minutes for a state parks ranger to be contacted and to arrive, she said.
Firefighters from Penn Valley's Lake Wildwood station responded, as did North San Juan firefighters.
“He had no feeling or movement from the neck down,” said Penn Valley Fire Chief Gene Vander Plaats.
Vander Plaats said Davis had not regained sensation as of Monday; the hospital would confirm only that he remains in critical condition.
Davis, 39, is a “hot shot,” a member of the elite wildland firefighting crew based out of the Feather River Ranger District in Oroville.
“Mark Davis is a valued member of the Feather River Ranger District and an excellent hot shot captain,” said Ranger Karen Hayden.
Hayden said Davis lives locally, but did not provide any other information.
To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call 477-4229.
