A Medora man wanted on a felony warrant was rescued from the East Fork White River and placed under arrest Thursday afternoon, police reported.
On Monday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department issued a wanted notice for Jeremy Scott Dillman, 36, for failure to appear for a Level 6 felony charge of domestic battery in the presence of a child.
On Thursday afternoon, the sheriff’s department received information that Dillman was in the 1600 block of East County Road 300N in the Shieldstown area.
Sheriff Rick Meyer, Chief Deputy Dustin Steward, Lt. Adam Nicholson, Sgt. Ben Rudolph and Officer Brad Barker went to that location and found a vehicle Dillman had reportedly been driving. Dillman, however, was not located.
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Barker located footprints that led west from the residence along the riverbank, and he followed the footprints while the other officers checked the surrounding residences for Dillman, police said.
Barker told the other officers that he located Dillman hiding along the riverbank about a quarter-mile west of the original address.
As Barker attempted to take Dillman into custody, he fled and jumped into the river. Dillman swam 15 to 20 feet into the river and held onto a log, police said.
Boat rescue was requested from conservation and the Brownstown Volunteer Fire Department. Travis McElfresh arrived with the fire department’s hovercraft boat and took Barker to where Dillman was holding onto the log.
Barker was able to successfully apprehend Dillman and put him on the hovercraft.
Dillman was checked out by personnel with Jackson County Emergency Medical Services and transported to the emergency room at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, where he was evaluated for hypothermia.
Dillman was released from the emergency room and transported to the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown.
Along with his felony charge, Dillman is being charged with resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor.
