Early Tuesday evening, the Pike County Sheriff’s Department responded to a request for assistance from the Buffalo Township Fire Protection District in reference to a woman that had been swept away at a low water crossing. The Louisiana Police Department had received a 911 call in reference to a woman being swept away in a creek along Pike road 252.  The Louisiana and Buffalo Fire Departments responded. Upon arrival they discovered a female trapped in a culvert at the low water crossing. They were unable to retrieve the unconscious woman against the current.

According to witnesses, the woman, Dana R. Pouge, 48 of Louisiana was with her twelve year old son and friends fishing and swimming in the dangerous waters that were sweeping over the roadway due to the recent rain fall. While waiting at the lower “slab” Pouge fell into the rapidly moving water.

Upon the arrival of the fire departments, several people attempted unsuccessfully to pull her from the raging waters. Emergency response personnel recovered Pouge’s body approximately 30 minutes after arriving on scene. She was later pronounced dead at Pike County Memorial Hospital. Sheriff Stephen Korte reminds people to be careful around swift running water.