March 30, 2016
Richmond Police detectives have identified the victim of an
apparent drowning yesterday morning in the James River as Amy Sue Briscoe,
36, with no permanent address.
At approximately 10:38 a.m., RPD officers were called
to the 400 block of West 6th Street for a report of body in the
James River under the south end of the Manchester Bridge.
Members of the Richmond Fire Department’s Swift Water
Rescue Team recovered the body and brought it to shore.
Several eyewitnesses have told RPD detectives that Briscoe and another man were wading in the water along the south shore of the James River when they were apparently swept away by the current and carried over a low-head dam near the Manchester Bridge.
The man was able to make it to shore but Briscoe was trapped
by the hydraulic current immediately below the dam. Her body eventually
floated free and came to rest on a rock downstream.
The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the
exact cause and manner of death.
“As warmer weather approaches, the James River will become a
busy place, but people need to be aware of the dangers,” said Chief Alfred
Durham. “Everyone needs to respect the power of the river with its cold,
swift-moving water. A moment’s inattention or a bad decision can be a
life-threatening mistake. Be mindful out there.”
