A Lexington County deputy played a major role in the rescue of a distressed swimmer from Lake Murray on the

Fourth of July. 

According to an incident report, Deputy Scott Zylstra was on a traffic stop along the Dreher Shoals Dam when he was approached by a woman advising him a man was having trouble in the choppy waters off SCE&G Park.

“Deputy Zylstra took action with equipment that he proactively purchased with his own money,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “He took it upon himself to keep a life vest and rescue throw buoy in his patrol car in case something like this ever happened.”

Koon said Zylstra provided his life vest to one bystander so that she could enter the water and assist the distressed swimmer. She wasn’t able to reach the swimmer because of the high waves.

Both swimmers made it to shore after Zylstra threw out a rescue line and pulled them in. “This is a great example of a deputy taking swift action to help someone in immediate need,” Koon said. “We’re proud of Deputy Zylstra’s response. This could have been a tragedy; we’re so thankful everyone is okay and back to their daily routines after the holiday weekend.”