A local man was honored at the Box Elder County Commission meeting on Wednesday, June 11, for his courageous actions during a life-threatening emergency on Willard Bay late last year. Commissioner Lee Perry and Sheriff Kevin Potter presented Weston Leatherow with a Distinguished Citizen Award for what the county called his “extraordinary lifesaving actions.”
The incident took place early on Dec. 20, 2024, when Leatherow and his friend, Christopher Pebley, were duck hunting west of Willard Bay. According to Box Elder County, an unexpected accident occurred when Pebley was thrown from their boat and suffered a severe leg injury from the propeller.
“What followed was 30 minutes of heroic effort that ultimately saved a life,” the county noted in an official press release.
Without formal medical training, Leatherow managed to get Pebley back into the boat, kept him conscious and calm and provided dispatchers with detailed updates on their remote location while administering first aid.
“With no formal training but recalling a TV episode he’d seen, [Leatherow] crafted a makeshift tourniquet to slow the bleeding,” the county said. “He pushed their 20-foot boat sideways through 250 yards of knee-deep water, never leaving Chris’s side. He even kept track of their upset hunting dog throughout the ordeal.”
When first responders arrived — including Willard Fire, Life Flight and the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office — Leatherow handed off care to emergency crews but continued to help. He coordinated boat recovery, took the dog home, cleaned the boat and made sure the Pebley family was informed.
That same day, according to the county, Leatherow humbly said, “I’d do it again tomorrow.”
“In my career,” Potter told Leatherow during the commission meeting, “I have seen many people perform amazing feats… it is clear that this situation could not have been handled better. I commend you for your remarkable and courageous response.”
County officials expressed gratitude to all responders involved in the rescue effort, including dispatchers Jenny Poon and Tyne Myer, Willard Fire, Squad 51, Box Elder Ambulance 22, Rescue 21, Life Flight, Perry City Police Department, Utah Department of Natural Resources and Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office Deputies.
“Weston Leatherow, your actions exemplify true courage and compassion,” the county said in its statement. “Thank you for reminding us what a community hero looks like.”