Witnesses Save Woman, Daughter in Rollover

RICE - A heroic effort was made by two strangers this (Tuesday) morning, helping to save a woman and her young daughter.

Benton County Sheriff Brad Bennett says 26-year-old Gretchen Wolbeck of Rice was driving down County Road 2 with her four year old daughter early this morning.

At about 6:30 a.m. Wolbeck's vehicle went off the road, went into the backwater area of Little Rock Creek, and rolled over onto it's roof.  The vehicle was sitting in 2 to 3 feet of water with both people still inside.  However, by the time rescue crews arrived on the scene both Wolbeck and her daughter had been saved by two passersby.

One of the two heroes is 21-year-old Craig Harden of Rice.  The other person left the scene before deputies could identify him.  The witnesses used a piece of lumber to break a window.

Both Wolbeck and her daughter were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non life threatening injuries.