Joseph DeAngelo is not dead yet — though you can forgive authorities for thinking he was.
A woman was out on a bike path along the Susquehanna River near Williamsport, Pa., around 12:30 p.m. Thursday when she spotted what she believed was a corpse floating in the river.
Sue Hubbard immediately called the police, who then rushed to the scene, WNEP-TV reported. Seeing DeAngelo floating face up in a life jacket, authorites were forced to agree with Hubbard. They called in a forensic team to investigate the drowning.
Emergency personnel called in Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr.
"He was bobbing up and down in the water and he really looked like he was dead," Kiessling told the Sun Gazette.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, DeAngelo sat up in the water.
"Let me tell you, it was quite a shock for us," Kiessling said. "This is the first time I've ever gotten to the scene and the person ended up being alive."
DeAngelo explained he was enjoying the solace and quiet of the river and had no idea of the effect he was having on the people on shore.
"I didn't mean to worry anyone," DeAngelo said. "It's nice and quiet, very peaceful, especially on a nice summer day like this, just to float and forget your troubles." |
Read more: ‘Corpse’ floating down river shocks authoritiesÂ* - NY Daily News  |