29-year-old woman drowns trying to save her dog in Wenatchee River

 

(Photo: cityofcashmere.org)



CASHMERE, Wash. -- A 29-year-old Cashmere woman has drowned in the Wenatchee River after entering the water to save her dog east of Dryden, Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett said.

The woman, Sabra J. Crafton, was eventually located downstream, but she was unresponsive and life-saving measures were unsuccessful, the sherff said.

The emergency communications center received a 911 call at 12:49 p.m. Monday from a man who said his friend, Crafton, had gone into the Wenatchee River at the public fishing hole east of Dryden, also known as the Mountain Theater Hole, to attempt to rescue her dog who was struggling in the water.

As Crafton began to struggle in the water, the man attempted to reach her and nearly brought her back to shore. But he said that Crafton broke free to make another attempt to rescue her dog. Witnesses said they lost sight of Crafton as she was eventually swept into the main channel of the river and floated downstream.

A kayaker in the area eventually located Crafton submerged in the river west of the Goodwin Street Bridge at Cashmere.

The dog rescued itself from the river and is fine, the sheriff said.