Minnesota state trooper who went viral for saving baby deer drowns in South Dakota lake

By Stephen Swanson, COle Premo, Nick Lentz

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — The Minnesota State Patrol is mourning the loss of a trooper who drowned in a northeastern South Dakota lake over the weekend.

According to the Day County Sheriff’s Office, Mollie McClure went missing early Sunday evening after jumping off a boat to swim in Waubay Lake in the town of Webster, just west of the South Dakota-Minnesota border.

Sheriff Jerred Schreur said after an initial search was conducted by several agencies, including officers with South Dakota Game Fish & Parks, the threat of severe weather and approaching sunset led authorities to pause the search.

Early Monday morning, crews found and recovered McClure’s body.

“Investigators will continue to attempt to gain answers as to why McClure was unable to remain above water, however no criminal charges have been filed in relation to this incident and all parties have been cooperative with the investigation,” Schreur said.

McClure, of St. Joseph, joined the state patrol in October 2021 and served in the St. Cloud district, “quickly earning a reputation as a respected trooper, mentor, and friend,” the agency said.

McClure’s contributions include participating in a workgroup focused on increasing the number of female troopers within the agency, training trooper academy cadets and serving as a peer counselor, according to the patrol.

“The Minnesota State Patrol extends its heartfelt condolences to Trooper McClure’s family, friends, and fellow troopers during this profoundly difficult time. The agency stands united in support and honor of her memory,” the patrol wrote in a release.

In 2023, a bodycam video of McClure rescuing a fawn stuck in a fence along Interstate 94 went viral. McClure freed the fawn, who was then reunited with its mother.

“It is evident through our investigation that McClure had a great impact with the communities that she served and her dedication to public service will be greatly missed,” Schreur said.

The patrol says the family is requesting privacy as they grieve the loss.

This tragedy occurred exactly one week after the drowning of Beverly Rodriguez, a sergeant with Minnesota’s Metro Transit Police Department.

Rodriguez, who ran the department’s Homeless Action Team, was pulled from White Bear Lake about 40 minutes after she went underwater.

“[Rodriguez] understood that behind every interaction was a human being deserving of dignity, respect, and compassion,” said a Metro Transit police spokesperson in a social media post. “Her colleagues remember her as someone who could de-escalate the most difficult situations through genuine care and understanding. She built bridges where others saw only barriers, and she offered hope where others might have seen only problems.”

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death.

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