Divers Locate Body Of Good Samaritan In Rock River

The search for a Good Samaritan who fell into the Rock River near Jefferson on Thursday ended when the body of Tyler Prichard was found on Saturday afternoon.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department said the body was found about 100 yards south of the Highway 26 bridge at 3:22 p.m. The incident happened on Thursday at around 5 a.m.

The 33-year-old fell into the river as he was trying to help a woman who crashed her car on the Highway 26 bridge.

Jefferson County officials said when Prichard went to help a stranded motorist, he straddled the bridge. They said he didn’t know there was ice on the bridge and he slipped and fell into the river.

Authorities searched all Thursday and Friday for him, and they feared he was dead given the water temperatures.

Kayla Beck, 16, babysits Prichard?s children. She said he has always been a proud father and a family man.

“He was always nice. I would always see him out with the kids and stuff,” said Beck.

The woman who crashed on the bridge wasn’t injured in the incident.

Many have called Prichard a true hero, as he was acting in good faith to help a stranded driver, WISC-TV reported.