Meridian man plucked from Mississippi River

Published 12:00 am Friday, July 17, 2009

A Meridian man was safely scooped from the Mississippi River Thursday night after apparently jumping in near Ameristar Casino.

John Mountney, 45, was plucked from the water by workers on an Ergon crewboat near Riverwalk Casino. Mountney was not injured and declined treatment, Deputy Vicksburg Fire Chief Mark Hales said this morning.

Emergency officials responded to a call from Ameristar employees at 7:50 p.m. that a man had been spotted in the river, said Ameristar General Manager Bruce Howard.

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Officials did not say why the man was in the river.