Noise Complaint turns into Rescue of Drowning Man in Newport Beach

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Yesterday in Newport Beach, the Newport Beach Police Department responded to a noise complaint at a hotel, that turned into a dramatic rescue for a drowning man.

"While NBPD is a law enforcement agency, our work often challenges us to address issues above and beyond criminal activity," Newport Beach Police press information officer Jennifer Manzella said over Facebook.

On Wednesday, just before 7 a.m. two officers responded to a series of noise complaints at a local hotel.

"They eventually tracked down the rowdy guests at the hotel pool area," she said. "The officers then asked everyone to get out the pool, so that they could discuss the complaints."

That's when the situation took a dramatic turn according to the NBPD facebook post.

"One of the men had been swimming to the bottom of the deep end of the pool when officers arrived," she stated. "He was not returning to the surface."

The NBPD officers sprung into action according to the Facebook post.

"One grabbed a rescue hook from the hotel's pool safety equipment and pulled the unconscious man to the edge of the pool, the other officer pulled the man onto the pool deck."

The man was blue, unconscious, not breathing, and officers could not find his pulse, Manzella said.

"The officers worked together to administer chest compressions and clear his airways, and the man's pulse returned.," she said.

Newport Beach Fire Department personnel responded and took over medical aid, transporting the man to the hospital for additional treatment.

"He is expected to make a full recovery," she said. "Officers Gregson and LaRuffa may have been on a "routine" call, but they ended up taking extraordinary action. We applaud them both."

Courtesy Newport Beach Police Department