Man swims across frigid James River in bid to avoid arrest

By Staff Reports

Published: January 13, 2009

Richmond police arrested a man early today an hour after he jumped in the James River and swam across in a bid to avoid arrest in a domestic assault case.

Capt. Paul Kiniry said the man, whose identity was not immediately available, was taken to VCU Medical Center to be treated for what appeared to be symptoms of hypothermia.

Kiniry said the incident began about 12:15 a.m. when officers spotted a man wanted for a domestic assault that had been reported earlier at an apartment on South 19th Street in South Richmond.

When officers found him, the man was on the north shore of the James River along Water Street, near where the Annabel Lee dinner ship formerly was docked just east of downtown Richmond.

As officers approached the man, he jumped in the water and began swimming across the James, Kiniry said.

Officers found him about an hour later hiding immediately across the river from where he had originally jumped in, Kiniry said.

Kiniry said the man faced abduction and related charges.

The National Weather Service does not keep exact temperatures for the James River in Richmond, but officials with the weather service's Wakefield office this morning said the river temperature this time of year is typically in the mid 40s.

-- Joe Macenka