THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. WHAT IRAN IS SAYING ABOUT IT. A SACRAMENTO WOMAN SHARING THE HEARTBREAKING MOMENTS SHE SAYS LED TO HER BROTHER’S DEATH. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT SIX. I’M CECIL HANNIBAL. SHE SAYS HE JUMPED INTO THE WATER TO SAVE HER SERVICE DOG AND NEVER MADE IT OUT ALIVE. KCRA 3’S JOSIE CORTEZ SPOKE WITH HER ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. I JUST WANT HIM TO KNOW IF HE’S LISTENING, IF HE’S AROUND RIGHT NOW. I DIDN’T LEAVE YOU, AND I THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE YOU. IT’S THE RAW MOMENTS. OLDER SISTER CLIPPER IS REPLAYING IN HER HEAD. IT JUST HAPPENED SO FAST. IT HAPPENED SO FAST. WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FUN DAY TRIP TO ROCK CREEK BRIDGE IN EL DORADO COUNTY WITH HER BROTHER ROBERT AND SERVICE DOG SAMMY. HE WAS JUST AT THAT SAME SPOT A WEEK AGO AND HE WAS LIKE, I KNOW THIS NICE WATERFALL OUT THERE IN EL DORADO. AND I’M JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? SCREW IT. LET’S GO. SO I’M LIKE, LET’S MAKE A PLAN OUT OF IT. LET’S DO IT RIGHT. BUT WITHIN SECONDS, EVERYTHING WOULD CHANGE. THE DOG WAS RUNNING AROUND IN THE SHALLOW AREA, YOU KNOW, BIG. YOU KNOW HOW DOGS ARE. WHEN MY DOG SLIPPED, MY BROTHER JUMPED IN. ROBERT AND HER DOG SWEPT AWAY BY THE FAST MOVING WATER. SO POWERFUL AUTHORITIES SAY IT CREATES A WASHING MACHINE LIKE CURRENT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ESCAPE. HE WAS ALREADY FACE DOWN AND HE WAS STUCK BETWEEN THESE ROCKS. AND I KEPT PULLING HIM AND PULLING HIM, AND I KEPT GETTING PUSHED BACK BY THE CURRENT. SO IT TOOK ME A MINUTE TO FINALLY GET REALIGNED. KIA EVENTUALLY GETTING HER BROTHER TO SHORE TRYING CPR. I HEAR THE SIRENS COMING AND I’M LIKE, HELP! LIKE I’M SCREAMING. LIKE, THAT’S WHY I’M LOSING MY VOICE. AND I’M LIKE, YOU CAN’T LET HIM GO. THAT’S MY BABY. BUT ROBERT WOULDN’T SURVIVE. HER SERVICE DOG, SAMMY IS STILL MISSING. HOW DO YOU CALL AND TELL YOUR PARENTS? OH, WE WENT OUT TO HAVE FUN, BUT HE’S NOT COMING BACK LIKE YOU. LEAVE. I LEFT WITH MY BROTHER, AND HE. AND I’M NOT COMING BACK WITH HIM. NOW, THROUGH UNIMAGINABLE GRIEF, SHE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW THE TYPE OF PERSON HER BROTHER WAS. HE JUMPED IN THERE TO SAVE MY DOG, AND I COULD HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD. SINCE I KNEW HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME IF I DIDN’T GET THAT DOG. BUT HE DID THE RIGHT THING. HIS INTENTIO
Sister remembers brother who died saving her service dog in El Dorado County creek
Sacramento woman recounts tragic moments at Rock Creek as service animal remains missing
Updated: 7:34 PM PDT May 3, 2026
A Sacramento woman is mourning the loss of her brother, who died while trying to save her service dog during a trip to Rock Creek Bridge.Kia Hapoy-Clipper said the outing was meant to be a simple day trip with her brother, Robert Solomon III, and family. Hapoy-Clipper said her brother had recently visited the area and suggested they go.“It wasn’t in my mind to go in there to have fun or go swimming,” she said. However, things would take a turn. Hapoy-Clipper’s 5-year-old service dog, Sammy, slipped into the water.“When my dog slipped, my brother automatically jumped in,” she said.Authorities say the swimming area beneath Rock Creek Bridge contains a powerful hydraulic current, often described as a “washing machine” effect, that can trap swimmers and make escape difficult.Hapoy-Clipper said both her brother and dog were swept away. She jumped in, trying to reach him.“I kept pulling him, and I kept getting pushed back by the current,” she said.She eventually brought him to shore and attempted CPR. Despite her efforts, Robert did not survive. Sammy remains missing.Through her grief, Hapoy-Clipper wants people to understand her brother’s actions.“He wasn’t being reckless,” she said. “He jumped in there to save my dog.”A GoFundMe has been created to support the family during this time. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. —
A Sacramento woman is mourning the loss of her brother, who died while trying to save her service dog during a trip to Rock Creek Bridge.
Kia Hapoy-Clipper said the outing was meant to be a simple day trip with her brother, Robert Solomon III, and family. Hapoy-Clipper said her brother had recently visited the area and suggested they go.
“It wasn’t in my mind to go in there to have fun or go swimming,” she said.
However, things would take a turn. Hapoy-Clipper’s 5-year-old service dog, Sammy, slipped into the water.
“When my dog slipped, my brother automatically jumped in,” she said.
Authorities say the swimming area beneath Rock Creek Bridge contains a powerful hydraulic current, often described as a “washing machine” effect, that can trap swimmers and make escape difficult.
Hapoy-Clipper said both her brother and dog were swept away. She jumped in, trying to reach him.
“I kept pulling him, and I kept getting pushed back by the current,” she said.
She eventually brought him to shore and attempted CPR. Despite her efforts, Robert did not survive. Sammy remains missing.
Through her grief, Hapoy-Clipper wants people to understand her brother’s actions.
“He wasn’t being reckless,” she said. “He jumped in there to save my dog.”
A GoFundMe has been created to support the family during this time.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel