At around 8:04 pm, on Sunday March 8, 2026, a 911 call was received by a man who reported that he and his buddy were in Crooked Lake– their canoe had overturned, they were far from the shoreline, and they had no personal floatation devices.
The two men (both in their 20s) were clinging to their overturned canoe, but they were having a tough time in the water.
Plus it was dark, cold, and well… gators. That’s always a concern in a situation like this.
PCSO deputies arrived on scene along with Polk County Fire Rescue.
One of the men in the water tried to use the flashlight on his cell phone to signal to first responders where they were.
Deputies Vasquez and Hall made contact with a nearby resident who had a boat anchored just offshore.
Without hesitation, the resident assisted the deputies, and the men entered the water and boarded the boat, along with PCFR personnel, and began searching for the two men.
Time was critical. The two men, still on the line with dispatch, said their canoe was starting to submerge. One of the men began coughing.
Sgt. Watson, who remained on shore, spotted the cell phone flashlight and directed the men in the rescue boat where to go.
The two young men were located, pulled from the water, and brought back to shore without injury.
Neither man required medical attention. They were appreciative of the help from the PCSO, PCFR, and the good citizen. And they learned a lesson about the importance of having personal floatation devices with them on the water.
