Sheriff's police, dog rescue woman who got stuck in freezing water near Antioch

Lake County sheriff's deputies and a police dog rescued a woman stuck in frigid water and suffering symptoms of hypothermia Thursday morning near Antioch, potentially saving her life.

The woman, whose name was not released by authorities, had gotten her legs stuck in muck in a shallow channel of water just off Lake Marie, southwest of Antioch, Lake County sheriff's Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.

Covelli said the water was about 1 to 2 feet deep and even though the weather has been warmer of late, it still is extremely cold.

"The area she went into the water was incredibly swampy and very hard to get through," Covelli said. "It was even difficult for our deputies on the scene."

Sheriff's deputies were assisted by Antioch Fire Protection District firefighters who wore dry-suits and waded into the channel to rescue the 30-year-old woman from Racine, Wisconsin. She was taken to a hospital in Kenosha and is expected to recover, Covelli said.

The circumstances leading to the woman's predicament remain under investigation.

Covelli said the woman called 911 about 10:15 a.m. to report she was being followed on foot by an ex-boyfriend near the intersection of Route 173 and Venn Road near Antioch.

When officers arrived the woman had left. The ex-boyfriend told officers the woman had taken property from him earlier in the day. He said he was following her to ask for the property back. He said he did not wish to pursue charges, Covelli said.

Authorities attempted to call the woman back to check on her, but she did not answer her phone.

At around 11 a.m., Lake County sheriff's Deputy Craig Somerville and police dog Ryker were sent out to try to find her.

Starting near the spot where officers had spoken to her ex-boyfriend, Ryker and Somerville followed the woman's tracks for about a mile before they heard her calling out for help, Covelli said.

Covelli said investigators learned the woman had an active arrest warrant for a drug-related offense in Wisconsin. He said investigators believe she probably left the road to hide from the deputies who responded to her initial 911 call.

Covelli said Wisconsin authorities have been made aware the woman is at the Kenosha hospital.