Metropolis Police Chief Harry Masse, left, looks on as Illinois Department of Natural Resources Officer Mike Thompson, center, presents David Bowman with a certificate of appreciation. — Planet photo by Terra Temple
And then, suddenly, this Metropolis Police Department dispatcher became Superman.
It was April 17, 2010. Five people were in a car that lost control on a gravel road. The car overturned, sliding down the bank and landing upside down with its front portion submerged.
Bowman, who has a bad hip, was the first one to the scene.
He dove into the murky water to assess the situation. He rose to the surface to retrieve a knife from his truck so when he dove back down he could break the glass and cut the belts to bring each victim to the surface to begin resuscitation efforts.
Two of the five survived.
For his “unselfish efforts,” the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) presented Bowman with a a certificate of appreciation during Monday’s Metropolis City Council meeting.
