Type of Officer: Police Officer
Jurisdiction: Beloit
County: Mitchell
Death Date: 6/25/1995
Added to Memorial: 1996
Circumstances of Death: Drowning
Several Beloit residents were riding the Solomon River in inner tubes. As they approached the river spillway in Beloit, two of them decided to go over the spillway and through the rapids. The Glen Elder dam was releasing a great deal of flood water from upstream at the time and the rain-swollen rivers current was described as torrential. One individual was thrown clear of the rapids below the spillway but one was trapped in the backwater. Trail, a volunteer fireman and several others formed a human chain to try and reach the trapped individual. While straining to reach the individual the chain broke. Trail and the fireman fell into the water. The fireman was thrown clear but Trail was unable to reach safety and drown.
Panel: 26