TOOELE, Utah — The man who died Monday night rescuing a woman who had fallen through the ice at Settlement Canyon reservoir in Tooele County has been identified as a Salt Lake County deputy.
20-year-old Emaloni Lutui, known as "Loni" by his family and peers graduated from the academy earlier this month.
"He attended our academy recently and we just barely did our graduation and that was on January 11th. So that was the day that,, he knew that he passed the academy and was sworn into the Salt Lake County Sheriff's office as a deputy," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera.
A somber week for Sheriff Rivera and the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.
"When we heard what had occurred that, you know, he saved his girlfriend and he drowned doing that, It does speak to the type of person that he was," said Sheriff Rivera.
Lutui tried rescuing her after she fell through the ice, shortly before 7 p.m. on Monday.
While he was able to get her out of the icy water, Tooele Police say he fell in and didn't resurface. His body was later located that night, around 11:20 p.m.
Police say the woman, whose identity hasn't been released, was treated for cold exposure at the hospital and later released.
"You know, to us, it was a heroic act, if not, she may have been the one," said Sheriff Rivera.
The sheriff says since graduating from the academy, Lutui had been working as a corrections deputy in the jail.
On Wednesday, Sheriff Rivera says she visited with Lutui's family.
"They were all extremely proud of him and they said he was so excited to be a sheriff's deputy and wear a badge and, you know, he, he has a little boy and they just wanted to be able to give him some memories of his dad and who his dad was," said Sheriff Rivera. "He has many sisters, brothers and, they're struggling right now, but they also know that, the way he died is the person that he was, he was a giving type person."
As the family continues to grieve, Sheriff Rivera says they will be there to support them.
"They're going to let us know on the services we will be there, our honor guard will be there and you know, my understanding he was also a, a former marine, so they may be there," said Sheriff Rivera.
On Wednesday, Sheriff Rivera said throughout her 30 years in law enforcement she has lost many friends. However, she says this was the first time she has ever been involved where somebody was on for such a short amount of time but impacted so many people.
