Man pulled out of the Spokane River

SPOKANE, Wash. -

Rescue crews tried to revive a man who was pulled out of the Spokane River Friday night.

It all happened around 8 p.m. on E. Upriver Drive near the Boulder Beach area. Fire crews said the man was swimming in the river bit was not wearing a life jacket. He was then swept away by the water.

Spokane Valley Fire Department said two Gonzaga students on paddle boards pulled the man out of the water and onto a private dock.

The students and the dock owner's son began CPR until medics arrived and took over. Medics performed CPR for 25 minutes and continued to do so as he was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to a local hospital.

In the past month, five people have drowned in the Spokane River and on area lakes. All tragedies may have been prevented had the drowning victims been wearing a life jacket.

To help save lives, Spokane County Sheriff deputies will be patrolling the Spokane River Saturday afternoon ticketing anyone not wearing a life vest. A ticket for not wearing a life jacket will cost you $76 but the consequences could be much greater.