Crews resume search for man who fell into Puyallup River

SUMNER, Wash. — Crews will evaluate their strategy in the search for a man who fell into the Puyallup River near Sumner Monday afternoon.

The search was suspended overnight, but crews returned to the river Tuesday to continue.

Witnesses called 911 at 5:13 p.m. when they saw a man struggling in the water.

Officials said the man was not wearing a personal floatation device.

Carmen Palmer, a spokesperson for the city of Sumner and Sumner police, said the 46-year-old Tacoma man was fishing with his family on the Puyallup River, close to where the White River intersects.

“He slipped and fell. And the rivers are running very fast. The river quickly swept him away. He is not a swimmer,” Palmer said.

Four adults who heard screams for help quickly jumped in the water.

Xeilias Canani said his friend Kyle, and Kyle’s wife, went in first.

“These guys are apparently swimmers, and they were having trouble,” Canani said, describing the cold water.

Canani and another woman also went in. That woman told KIRO 7 she heard the children nearby asking, "is my dad ok?"

While others on shore were already on the phone with 911, they swam back. But Canani said his glasses were missing, as were his friend’s wallet and keys.

“That was just messed up, really,” he said. “It’s the world we live in.”

By the time his friends had finished giving police their statements, they found out their stolen credit cards had already been used at a gas station.

A rescue helicopter also looked for the man from the air but found nothing.

Crews will look at the weather Tuesday before deciding how to continue their search.

Cox Media Group