7/9/09
Three teenagers sitting on the banks of the Rio Grande in Española July 1 slipped into the water and set off a frantic search involving five police agencies.
After more than an hour of combing the river’s edges from Española to Pojoaque, the teens were found about 6:45 p.m. walking on the east bank not far from the Santa Clara Bridge. They had floated down the river and climbed out on Santa Clara Pueblo land near La Mesilla, Española Police Sgt. Christian Lopez said.
“They were able to ride the current out, is what it seems, and get to the shore,” Lopez said.
Delfin Vargas, 15, and Anisa Montoya were released to their parents after Vargas received treatment for some bumps and bruises, Lopez said. Vargas told police he hit rocks on the bottom of the river when he jumped in, Lopez said.
The third teen, identified by police only as Sasha, was transferred to a safe house in Santa Fe. She had been in the custody of the state Children, Youth and Families Department until June 28, when she ran away from a bowling outing at Big Rock Casino, Lopez said. Police had been searching for her since that disappearance.
The teens were sitting on the east bank of the river, just south of the Santa Clara Bridge, when one of them fell in, Lopez said.
“They weren’t drinking or anything, just hanging out at the river,” Lopez said.
Vargas told police he had gone in the water first, but witnesses crossing the bridge reported seeing one of the girls fall in, Española Public Safety Chief Julian Gonzales said. Lopez said the girls reportedly wanted to put their feet in the water, and one of them fell in. She pulled the other girl in, and Vargas went in to try to help, he said.
Within minutes of receiving the distress call, personnel were mobilized from the Española Police and Fire departments, Santa Clara Tribal Police, Santa Fe Police, Pojoaque Tribal Police and State Police. Crews were stationed as far away as State Road 502 in Pojoaque, just in case the swift-moving current had carried the teens that far.
Lopez said the teens did the right thing by staying calm and floating down river until they could get out, but they were also lucky.
The bosque contains large swamps, often deeper than the river itself, and officers saw large snakes there during the search, Lopez said.
“If they walk into a swamp, where do we start searching?” Lopez said.
People should just stay away from the river’s edge, particularly where there are high banks, because the grass is slick and undercurrents are strong, he said.
“Don’t play near the river, bottom line,” Lopez said.