THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 16, 1995 TAG: 9507160039
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
Police were responding to assist a woman who apparently passed out in Friday's heat and fell into Little Creek.
The woman was rescued and brought to shore about 6 p.m. by Doug McQuarrie, 31, a Navy SEAL who stopped on the Shore Drive bridge spanning Little Creek when he saw police there.
The woman, floating in the water, had been spotted by police officers looking for her from the bridge moments before McQuarrie stopped and offered his assistance.
The officers on the bridge had called for the police department's marine patrol boat and it was en route.
Two other officers, Sgt. Scott Wilson and Officer Jeff Copperthite, had driven off the bridge to 22nd Bay Street where they could get closer to the shoreline near where the woman had been seen.
The officers had just entered the water when McQuarrie dived in. Because of his training and superior swimming skills, he was able to quickly swim past them and reach the woman, Lila Hess, 37, before them.
McQuarrie towed the woman back toward the shore. He met up with Copperthite, who had a flotation device they used to bring Hess the rest of the way back in.
A story in Saturday's Metro News section did not give complete details of the police response. by CNB