A car was submerging with a woman trapped inside, and Nathan Wingate went in to rescue her.
According to a post from the City of Oakley, Wingate and Johnson entered the canal to rescue the woman when no one else did. Johnson handed Wingate his pocketknife, and Wingate used it to break a vehicle window, equalizing the pressure inside and outside the car so the door could be opened. The pair then pulled the door open and freed the woman from the submerged vehicle.
Johnson swam back to check the car for additional occupants and found none, while Wingate held the woman at the canal's edge until Johnson rejoined him. The two men then swam her to the edge and supported her there until first responders arrived and pulled all three out of the water. The city's account states the woman suffered no lasting consequences and was saved through the direct actions of the two men.
A First-Of-Its-Kind Honor From the Police Chief
Three months after the rescue, Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard recognized Wingate and Johnson with the department's first Chief's Certificate of Commendation ever issued to citizens. The city and police department presented the honor at the previous night's City Council meeting, according to the same Facebook post.
The commendation exists because Oakley Police Department rewrote its awards policy to encompass honors that are commonplace in law enforcement, including the ability to formally commend civilians for worthy acts. That policy change made Wingate and Johnson's recognition possible, the city's post notes.
A Waterway Built to Carry Water
The canal where the rescue took place is not an incidental backdrop. The Contra Costa Water District describes it as a 48-mile concrete-lined waterway that delivers water to the district's treatment facilities and its untreated-water customers. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the canal were held in Oakley back in 1937, with construction continuing until 1948.
Because of hazards in the concrete channel, the water district advises people to call 911 if they see a person, pet, or object in the canal and never jump in to attempt a rescue. The warning reflects the canal's currents and hidden hazards.
Open Questions Remain
The city's account does not identify the woman who was rescued, the owner of the vehicle, or how the car ended up in the canal in the first place. It also does not name the first responders who ultimately pulled all three people from the water. Those details remain unknown based on available public records.
