Deputy Bryan P. Gross, 29, died while on duty on 7/28/11, three days before his 30th birthday, after responding to an emergency call about a person being swept away in the North Platte River. He drowned while participating in an effort to rescue a juvenile female who had been reported struggling in the river about 5 p.m. The 14 year old girl was in town for a 4-H fair. She was distraught with her boyfriend, and she jumped in the river. The girl entered the waterway near the Douglas Yellowstone Bridge, which joins both sides of Douglas, 50 miles east of Casper. Gross had entered into the river from one side while several others swam in from the other. After the girl was rescued about a mile downstream by Douglas Police Officer Jeremiah Owens along with two citizens, Keith Thompson, 19, and Lane Morgan, 16, from the river. Then upon a personnel check with those involved in the rescue, some concern was raised after Deputy Gross failed to report in and a search was started to locate him forty five minutes later. His vehicle was located on Pearson Street near the river, and his vest, boots, shirt and duty belt were located a short distance away near the river. The girl after being rescued was taken to Memorial Hospital and remained hospitalized. The North Platte River was higher than normal following heavy snows last winter and the river was running at 6,620 cubic feet per second at a nearby gauging station. The flow averages only 2,110 cfs on the same date over the past 60 years. People with expertise participating in the search and utilizing everything at their disposal were divers, people on jet skis, other water craft, along with planes, National Guard helicopter, a Black Hawk helicopter from Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, teams of cadaver dogs, and about fifty law enforcement that walked along the river. Deputies remained stationed on two bridges during night time and used searchlights powered by generators to maintain a watch on the river. Deputy Gross’s K9 partner “Gus” was also used in the search to try and find his handler. Deputy Gross’s body was recovered from the waters of the North Platte River in Douglas approximately 66 hours later by divers on 7/31/11 at 11:20 a.m. between the I-25 Bridge site and Anderson Dairy Bridge, 1.5 miles downstream from where he was last seen entering the river. Deputy Bryan Gross is being hailed as a hero for attempting to save the girl from the high-flowing North Platte River in the town of Douglas. Deputy Gross had worked at the police department as a drug officer, handling a narcotic canine. Gross had been with the Converse County Sheriff’s Office for approximately three months. Prior to joining the sheriff’s office, he had been a member of the Douglas Police Department. His K9 partner was “Gus”. Deputy Gross is survived by his wife, Amy Spruiell Gross who he married 27 days earlier. Donations to the family of the fallen deputy can be made at the Converse County Bank, 322 Walnut Street, Douglas, 82633
Menu
