Homestead

Officer Rescues Father, Son from Drowning in Homestead Canal

Officer, Salvador Lopez, says he was directing traffic for races at the Speedway when he heard screams, and noticed the boy and father were in the water

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The Homestead Police Department says an alert officer jumped into a canal Saturday morning to save an eight-year-old boy, and the boy’s father, from drowning.

It happened around 10 a.m. near the intersection of southwest 142nd Avenue and east Palm Drive, which is not far from the Homestead Miami Speedway.

The heroic officer, Salvador Lopez, says he was directing traffic for races at the Speedway when he heard screams, and noticed the boy and father were in the water.

"Immediately I took action and jumped into the water at that time, my main concern was the child's safety due to the fact that he was there for a long period of time," Officer Lopez said.

The boy’s father, Chief Acheta, says he and his son Derrance Hatfield Jr. were fishing in the canal, when the eight-year-old boy fell into the water.

NBC 6 spoke to them a few hours after they were rescued on Saturday.

“I thought I was a goner before my Dad jumped in to try to save me,” said the eight-year-old, Hatfield Jr. “I tried to float, and float, and float, the entire time I was in the water, but I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Chief Acheta said he jumped into the water instinctively to save his son, but says he recently suffered a stroke, and can no longer swim as well as he used to.

“The biggest thing I want to talk about is how thankful we are for those officers,” said Acheta “… They came in to help, and everything they’ve done to this point, is help.”

Chief Acheta said he’s eternally grateful for Officer Lopez.

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