Byfield man drowns in Parker River in Newbury despite valiant efforts of good Samaritans
NEWBURY - A Byfield man drowned after he was swept up by a raging river in Newbury Thursday night, despite the courageous efforts of a group of people who formed a human chain to save him.
Newbury police and fire started getting 911 calls around 6:30 p.m. for a man stuck in the rapid-moving, high-water current of the Parker River.
Neighbors did not wait for help to arrive. They sprung into action, creating a human chain to try to reach the man, later identified as 54-year-old David Harwood, and pull him to safety.
Jeffrey Nagle, 46, jumped into the water to save Harwood, but he could not get him out in time.
"He went in the river to try to get him, but he was maybe I don't know three feet from him, and he couldn't grab him, and he kept yelling 'let go'. I think he was holding onto the tree that went across the river," Nagle's mother, Sue Nagle, told reporters. "So, my son ran home to get a ladder and when he got back, he was, you know. He had drowned."
Dive teams searched the river for hours. Newbury Police said Harwood's body was found just after midnight.
"Parker River, it's angry right now is the best way I can say it. It's a heavily rushing water, so its a tough situation back there," Newbury Fire Chief Dave Evans said.
Newbury Police announced Friday afternoon that Harwood had been the subject of an active arrest warrant. They originally attempted to serve the arrest warrant on January 3, but Harwood fled.
Police were not aware of his whereabouts or actively pursuing him at the time of his death.
Investigators don't know why or how Harwood ended up in the river.