Deputy Walt Mazar saves a life

Deputy Walt Mazar, formerly of California’s Napa County Sheriff’s Department, recently saved the life of a young woman who had suffered major injury after becoming caught in a boat propeller. Mazar responded to an emergency call on June 27, 2021, at California’s Lake Berryessa, whereby a female swimmer had been trapped underneath a rental boat and was struggling to stay afloat, with her body and legs severely wounded.

Because the party she was with was not familiar with the lake, her exact location was not known. After a land and water search did not prove successful, Deputy Mazar expanded his search, going out in a boat alone to continue looking for the woman. He located and found her. Mazar pulled the woman into the boat he had been using for the search and with the help of bystanders applied pressure to her major wounds, while rushing her to a location where awaiting first responders transported her to a local trauma center.

Deputy Mazar was presented the Napa Sheriff’s Lifesaving Medal on July 3, 2021. He recently retired after 28 years in law enforcement in California. He and his wife, Rebel, have recently relocated to Oklahoma. Mazar is the son of Walter and Vivian Mazar of McAlester, Oklahoma, and the grandson of James and Margaret Anderson of Wilburton, Oklahoma.