SUBJECT: Fall

Date: January 17, 2007

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Lt. Scot Haug 

At approximately 2:45 AM this morning, a 911 call was received reporting a female who had fallen near the Post Falls dam and was calling for help. The dam is within Falls Park, which is located just west of the intersection of Spokane Street on 4^th Avenue in Post Falls.

The Post Falls Police Department, and fire personnel from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, responded to the area of the Post Falls Avista Dam and found the female lying on a rock ledge in the ice and snow, next to the water. She was lying approximately 100 –150 feet below the main observation deck. Due to the extremely icy conditions, emergency responders were unable to immediately reach the female. While preparing to repel to the victim, police and fire personnel were able to obtain a response from the female and convince her to work her way up the rocky cliff, where emergency services personnel eventually rescued her. When she was rescued she was wearing a t-shirt, jeans and no shoes.

The female was identified as a 17 YOA Post Falls resident, who had just moved into the area within the last few days. She had left her home earlier after an argument with family and allegedly walked to the Falls Park area where the incident occurred. A family friend told Police that he was able to track her footprints in the snow to the area of the Park and located her calling for help at the waters edge. The friend contacted 911 for assistance.

The female was transported to Kootenai Medical Center with weather related injuries. Although it does not appear that the injuries are life threatening, she does appear to have frostbite to her feet/toes. It is unknown at this time how far the victim fell; but there do not appear to be significant injuries related to the actual fall.

The Police Department is continuing to investigate this incident; if additional information is obtained as a result of the investigation we will update this release at that time.

AUTHOR: Lt. Scot Haug