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By KEVIN GRAHAMA lifeguard pulls a drowning man from the Hillsborough River. But the man, accused in two deaths, didn't want to be saved.
TEMPLE TERRACE - John Anderson, 76, faced charges of leaving a crash that killed two people. He had resolved to take his own life.
Marshall Duncan, 43, wound up where he was needed most, and it wasn't the first time.
Their paths crossed Thursday morning. And two lives were changed.
Duncan said he thought it an odd sight, an older man peering into the Hillsborough River from a Fowler Avenue overpass, an abandoned car nearby.
Already five minutes late for his job as aquatic supervisor for the Temple Terrace Parks and Recreation Department, Duncan made a U-turn to investigate. It was 8:05 a.m.
"As I got closer, he actually put his leg over the side," he said.
Duncan dialed 911.
"I'm leaving!" Duncan told the operator. "He just jumped into the water!"
The instincts from 20 years as a lifeguard kicked in.
Duncan ran to the bridge, shedding his clothes, shoes and phone, then plunged 30 feet into the 65-degree water.
He found Anderson near the center of the river in 14 feet of water, fully clothed and fighting to stay afloat.
"He struggled and fought me initially," Duncan said. "I had to tell him to relax. I was a lifeguard."
Duncan grabbed Anderson by the collar and headed for shore. But Anderson began to struggle again, and they both began to sink.
Duncan regained control and again paddled for safety. He said an anonymous good Samaritan appeared on shore at Temple Terrace's Rotary Riverfront Park and helped them out of the water.
Standing on the bank where the rescue occurred, Duncan thought about the man he had saved.
"He may not want to admit it today, but hopefully tomorrow, he can see that today was a lucky day for him," Duncan said.
Lucky indeed.
The tire on Duncan's truck needed air Thursday morning, but the pump didn't work at the first place he stopped. Had it, he might have been on time to work, and Anderson may have drowned.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement records show a recently troubled past for Anderson.
He was arrested in Marion County on Nov. 20 and charged with leaving the scene of a two-car accident involving death or injury, hit-and-run and failure to stop. The crash killed two women along Interstate 75 near Ocala. The Florida Highway Patrol identified the women as Brigette B. Monroe, 46, and Mayfield Hookumchand, 44, both of Brooklyn, N.Y. They died at the scene.
The Ocala Star-Banner reported that a sheriff's deputy described Anderson's eyes as bloodshot and said he could smell a strong odor of alcohol on him. A partially filled bottle of gin was found inside his vehicle, according to reports.
Marion County sheriff's deputies apprehended Anderson after a short pursuit, the newspaper reported.
Records show that Anderson lives in Chicago. He gave Temple Terrace police an address that matched a hotel on Fletcher Avenue, said Temple Terrace spokeswoman Paula MacDonald.
MacDonald said authorities took Anderson into custody under Florida's Baker Act and took him to University Community Hospital. The Baker Act allows authorities to hold someone for a mental health evaluation against their will if they appear to be a danger to themselves or others.
Marion County jail records show Anderson was out of jail on $36,000 bail.
"That's a little bit of a punch in the gut," said Duncan, after hearing about Anderson's arrest. "It doesn't change what I did or how I did it. I'm not going to let anybody drown. The fact that our paths crossed when they did, it was not meant for him to die."
Thursday wasn't the first time Duncan has found himself in a position to be a hero.
In July 1994, Duncan watched as an airplane went down at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, near where he was working at the time. He grabbed a fire extinguisher, tore the windshield off the plane and rescued the 77-year-old pilot.
A year later, in May 1995, Duncan survived an alligator attack while canoeing down the Withlacoochee River at a state park near Dade City. That tale was recreated by National Geographic Explorer and has been rebroadcast worldwide.
Duncan said he has often thought about life-threatening situations he has found himself in. And he has come to but one conclusion.
"The only thing that I can think is that God has given me the ability to make a difference, and I'm generally not afraid to go out there and do so," he said.
--Times researchers Cathy Wos and Caryn Baird contributed to this story. Kevin Graham can be reached at 813 226-3433 or kgraham@sptimes.com