One man is arrested after calling emergency officials this morning and claiming someone had fallen into the Potomac River.
According to a press release “The Allegany County Joint Communications Center took a call from a male subject reporting someone in the water in the area of the Potomac River and the closed Verso paper mill,” Lt. Todd Bowman, public information officer for the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services said. “In a coordinated effort with Allegany, units from Garrett and Mineral counties were also dispatched to the scene.”
The Allegany County Special Operations water team was dispatched along with fire departments from Westernport, Barton, Piedmont, Bloomington, LaVale, Bowling Green and EMS units from Tri-Towns and George’s Creek. An Allegany County Department of Emergency Services supervisor also responded.
“Command was established quickly by the first arriving fire department official and began issuing assignments to the responding units,” Bowman said. “The Joint Communications Center received three total calls, from the same number, reporting a person in the water.”
With the additional calls reporting other locations, units were dispatched to check the Potomac River in the PPG Road area, Cumberland and Ridgeley corridor and various locations along Rt-220 from Bowling Green to McCoole, Bowman said.
Fire and EMS units were assisted by various law enforcement agencies throughout the incident, according to Bowman.
“Maryland State Police Aviation was dispatched on the initial call to assist with search and rescue operations,” Bowman said. “Their aircraft was able to check the above areas and unable to locate any victims.”
No subject or evidence of a person in the water was found at any of the locations.
Maryland DNR Police responded to the incident.
After approximately an hour, the caller was located in the Carlos area of Allegany County and apprehended by Maryland State Police, according to Bowman.
DNR Police remains the lead investigating agency on this incident.
Allegany County Department of Emergency Services Director Public Information Officer Lt. Todd Bowman discusses the reported water rescue incident this morning. To hear the interview click here https://soundcloud.com/amanda-mangan/todd-bowman-reported-water-rescue-incident-pht