Cape Girardeau police officers praised for heroism, save Illinois man

Corporal Rogers, Patrolman McCain, and Patrolman Koesterer arrived on scene and began searching around the vehicle for anyone. While canvassing the area, McCain located an elderly male, lying on his back in several inches of water at the bottom of a drainage ditch.

The three officers, along with rescue personnel, were able to get the subject out of the ditch and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. It was later learned the male was diagnosed with dementia and had recently been listed as a missing person from Illinois.

If not for these three officers deciding to check further into this call and be thorough in their search of the area, the victim may not have been discovered until much later.

Due to his medical condition, along with the fact that he was wet and exposed to cold temperatures, the situation could have easily been fatal for the victim if not for immediate actions of Corporal Rogers, Patrolman McCain and Patrolman Koesterer.