Deputy Sheriff Eddie Wotipka Harris County Sheriff's Department, Texas End of Watch: Thursday, June 10, 2010 Age: 51 Years on the job: 17 Badge Number: N/A Cause of death: Drowned   Harris County sheriff's Deputy Eddie Wotipka slammed on his brakes to avoid a stray dog in the middle of the road.  He thought he'd run it over. He got out, and the dog was sitting there right in front of the car, wagging his tail. He wasn't hurt, and he carried him home. “He named the dog Skidmark. That's the kind of guy he was. Deputy Eddie Wotipka drowned late Thursday as he attempted to rescue one of his other dogs from a canal near his home in Baytown. The 51-year-old officer had pulled up to his home in his patrol unit as he was ending his evening patrol shift in District 3 and was told by neighbors his dogs were running loose near an industrial canal. Wotipka, 51, saw one of his dogs — a female English bulldog — fall or jump into the canal near the intersection of Thompson and West Cedar Bayou Lynchburg. He removed his portable radio and gun and plunged into the swiftly running water to try to save his pet around 11:15 p.m. Witnesses told investigators they saw Wotipka go under water, resurface, then go under again. The deputy's wife, Karen, jumped into the water to try to save him, but he did not come up again. Wotipka's body was recovered by around 5 a.m., about 150 feet from where he entered the canal, officials said. The dog also died. Wotipka was on duty at the time of his death, officials said. He was in uniform and had driven home in his assigned patrol vehicle and had not logged off his computer terminal or called dispatchers by radio to say he was off-duty.  Officers are paid for the time they are traveling between work and home because they are on call. Wotipka joined the department in 1993 and worked in the patrol division on the county's east side. Deputy Wotipka had served with the agency for 17 years. He is survived by his wife and two adult children.   Agency Information Harris County Sheriff's Department Family Assistance Unit 1200 Baker Street Houston, TX 77002 Phone: (713) 755-8461 Submit a Condolences Subscribe to Officer Down E-Mail Alerts Walk tall, walk tall and protect us from above with honor and dignity. May you lead the charge for citizens right in heaven as you did here on earth Darrell Thompson Privet Security Officer St. Clair Co. MI, Community College Campus Patrol #14 darrell@policespecial.com www.sc4.edu Rest in peace, and may God allow him to keep watch over us on earth while he patrols his beat in heaven. Our prayers go out to the Officer and his Department and family. May they all find peace in their hearts soon. From all the Staff at Police Special Inc.