Richmond Police Officer (and US Marine) Saves A Life

From WRIC:

"A Richmond Police officer who rescued a 5-year-old boy from the James River over the weekend is speaking one-on-one with 8News.

Officer Anthony Paciello tells us he was driving by the Pony Pasture area on Saturday when he heard cries for help. He went to investigate and found a mother and father desperately trying to hold their young son's head above water.

Officer Paciello jumped into the river and dislodged the boy's foot that had gotten wedged between the rocks in the river.

"I started feeling around and found that he had velcro sandals on and was able to unstrap the back and the front of them and his foot slid out of the shoe enabling him to come up out of the water and got him up on the rocks and everything and he was crying. It was a good cry. He knew he was crying that he was safe then," Paciello said.

"Officer Paciello is a 2-year-old veteran of the Richmond Police force."

Officer Paciello is also SERGEANT Paciello, formerly a cannoneer with Battery H, 3rd Bn 14th Marines, my old unit. When I was CO of that unit he was the best of the best, and I'm damned proud of him. Good work, Marine!

(Thanks to Gunny D for the tip.)

jpp