GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A rescue team had to pull a man out of the Chattahoochee River Wednesday afternoon. Police say he may have jumped in the water while fleeing two bail bondsmen.
Police say the bail bondsmen tracked their suspect down to a family member's home near the Chattahoochee Run subdivision in Gwinnett County. When they approached Ernesto Galvez, he ran out the back. Police say Galvez either fell in the river or jumped in to escape.
News Chopper 2 arrived over the scene moments after rescuers pulled him out of the river. Police say the call came in to them around 2:15 p.m. Gwinnett County Swift Water Rescue got him out of the water around 3 p.m., a long time to be in the river after three days of bitterly cold weather.
"Essentially he was in the river hanging from a branch. He had run and jumped in the river. He was trying to get away from a bail bondsman trying to serve a warrant," said Suwanee Capt. Cass Mooney.
Gwinnett police sent Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh a mug shot of the 31-year-old man.
He is currently wanted on a non-extradition warrant out of Seattle, a misdemeanor probation violation warrant from Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office and a failure to appear warrant from the City of Suwanee on a traffic violation.
Authorities say he's been arrested five times since 2012. The charges range from driving without a license to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Galvez was taken to a hospital after Wednesday's rescue. His condition is unknown at this time. Kavanaugh is following up on the charges he may face in this case.