Deputy Jarrett Bristol and Deputy Wes Haggan were among eight employees who received the OCSO Life Saving Award.

staff report

DESTIN — Two Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies were honored recently for helping to save a suicidal man last summer.

Deputy Jarrett Bristol and Deputy Wes Haggan were among eight employees who received the OCSO Life Saving Award.

The deputies were called to Norriego Point Aug. 18 after receiving reports of a man swimming in the harbor channel.

Patrons of a nearby restaurant told deputies that the man had been telling others that he wanted to drown himself and that he would rather drown than go home with anyone, according to incident reports. He then jumped into the water and swam away.

The deputy noted the man was under the influence of alcohol. He was under the influence of alcohol and angry that law enforcement had gotten involved, the report said.

A U.S. Coast Guard boat arrived and tried to pull him out of the water, but he resisted. He tried to swim in front of the boat so it would hit him. He then said, “Just chop me up,” and swam toward the propellor.

The Coast Guard crew managed to stop all the motors before the man could get to the propellers. The boat managed to force the man toward the shoreline, where Bristol and Jarrett entered the water and pulled the man out.

The man, who had minor injuries, was treated and taken to the hospital under the Baker Act provision.