By Ashley Rhodebeck
Daily News staff writer

Emergency crews from almost 10 agencies saturated the area around Turtle Creek in eastern Rock County Friday afternoon, searching for a Delavan man stranded in higher-than-normal water.

After at least 90 minutes, 35-year-old James A. Hayden was pulled breathing but unconscious from the swiftly moving creek in Bradford Township near Highway 140. He was flown to Rockford Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in good condition late that night.

Hayden called 911 on his cell phone just before 4 p.m. once his inflatable six-by-three-foot raft began failing just west of the Walworth County line, said Rock County Sheriff Sgt. Ken Marquardt.

Hayden guessed he was near Tiffany, so the Turtle and Clinton fire departments arrived and placed a boat in that location. Not finding him, searchers expanded their search to the east.

Mike Dieckhoff, a warden for the DNR, also tracked the man on foot as he floated about 3.5 to four miles along the curvy creek but eventually had to seek medical attention for dehydration and heat exhaustion, Marquardt said, adding Dieckhoff was listed in good condition late Friday.

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