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Sister of Coal River Drowning Victim Pleads With Public to Avoid Swimming Hole

Posted on: Friday, 24 June 2005, 00:00 CDT

DAILY MAIL STAFF

Sharon Woods has a simple message for patrons of swimming holes near Great Falls on the Coal River.

"Just stay away," Woods said. "It may look like an ideal family place, but it's not.

The St. Albans woman is bringing attention to the area because of the recent drownings of her brother and another man at a swimming hole near Kanawha County's Meadowood Park in Tornado.

"People need to know that the area is unsafe before it claims another victim," Woods said. "We can't just sit back and watch people lose their lives there."

On June 12, Woods' brother, Ronald Hedrick, 39, perished while trying to rescue his 13-year-old son, who was caught in an undertow. While his son resurfaced unharmed, Hedrick remained submerged in the water.

Brian Lee Butcher, 34, of Fraziers Bottom also drowned while helping to locate Hedrick. St. Albans Fire Department divers located the two bodies 4 feet apart and 2 feet below the river's surface. The two men were found more than an hour after disappearing.

Hedrick, a Medora, Ind., resident, his wife and three kids were in town for the weekend visiting family and friends in the St. Albans area.

"Because his kids were getting older, he wanted them to see the where he grew up," said Woods. "He wanted to show them the beauty of West Virginia."

Woods said Hedrick had been back to the state only a handful of times since leaving after their mother passed away when he was 14.

Now Woods is trying to make others aware of the treacherous swimming spot. The swimming hole, accessible via a dirt path connected to Meadowood Park, is a popular spot for local residents to cool off during the summer months.

Woods hopes local officials will put precautions in place to make sure no one suffers the same fate as the two men.

"I know accidents happen, but what people don't understand is the hazard that lies in that swimming hole," Woods said. "Someone needs to educate the public, so there aren't any more victims."

Greg Childress, Tornado Volunteer Fire Department assistant chief, said at least 20 people have drowned in the swimming hole since he joined the unit in 1989.

Childress said a strong downward current from the Great Falls combined with 15- to 20-foot drop-offs make for hazardous areas in the water.

"You have deep holes plus a powerful current and it just sucks people in," Childress said.

Childress said the spot's cavernous holes were caused by a gristmill that used be on the location when it was part of a farm in the early 20th Century.

"It's just a big, long cut-off place that people are not aware of," Childress said. "It will be shallow for a bit, then just drop off and you never know when it's going to happen."

Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Hutchinson says his group plans to work with the Tornado fire department to warn the public about the swimming area.

Early discussions have included adding warning signs at the swimming hole's entrance, he said.

Hutchinson said that no matter what option is chosen officials would not be able to monitor the swimming hole because the Meadowood property itself does not include river access.

"Once you are in the water, you are out of our jurisdiction and park property," Hutchinson said. "The park does not have river access, so it's up to the people themselves to make their own judgments."

Karol Wallingford, director of environmental health for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said the organization does not endorse any swimming holes in the county. It's up to individuals to understand the dangers, she said.

"All swimming holes in the county are swim-at-your-own-risk areas," Wallingford said. "They are not developed areas from the county's standpoint. If they were, we'd have lifeguards there."

Wallingford said people also should think about water quality issues such as foreign bacteria when swimming in the undesignated areas

St. Albans resident Mark Brumfield, 33, has been coming to the Tornado swimming hole since he was a toddler. Brumfield is aware of the area's dangers but said it has not deterred him from enjoying the river.

"People who are not familiar with the waters in this spot are going to have problems," Brumfield said. "You'll be swimming, then all of a sudden it's a 12-foot drop-off and you're caught in a mini whirlpool."

Brumfield said when paddling his fishing boat into the sinkhole areas, he makes sure to come prepared.

"I just find a tree stump and tie it to my boat and use it as an anchor," Brumfield said. "If I didn't do that, I would just spin around in a circle. The water can pin you down; you just have to be careful."

Woods believes if her brother had known of the dangers, he may have reconsidered swimming there. She hopes that with some community support she can bring notice to the problematic area.

"If my brother would have been cavalier enough, I believe he wouldn't have let his children in that river," Woods said. "If it happened to him, I know it could happen to other unsuspecting people."

Contact writer Matthew Thompson at matthewthompson@dailymail.com or 348-4834.

Source: Charleston Daily Mail

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