A 19-year-old Ohio woman visiting with family for her birthday at the Jaycee Lake spillway north of Mt. Vernon lost her balance early Thursday night and fell 15 to 20 feet from a concrete beam support structure to shallow water in the spillway below.
Jefferson Fire and Mt. Vernon City Fire had to attach a rope to a basket to lift Dana Peters up from a steep ravine. She was then transferred to a Litton’s Ambulance and taken to an Air Evac medical helicopter that had landed a short distance away. She was flown to a St. Louis Hospital for treatment.
Fire officials say they are uncertain how the woman was able to get onto the beam support. Family members said she was sitting on the beam when she fell. She landed in shallow water and was moved by family members to the ravine.
Peters is believed to have sustained at least a broken arm in the fall, with other possible injuries.
The incident was first reported at 5:39 p.m. on Thursday.
