Engagement ring saved in California sewer

JURUPA VALLEY, CA -- A frantic bride-to-be will have a story for the ages as her engagement ring was saved from a sewer in Jurupa Valley on Tuesday.

The Jurupa Community Services District said it received a call from Carissa Wolter who was upset that her engagement ring and earrings were flushed down the toilet.

Wolter said she wrapped the jewelry in a tissue while cleaning out her make-up bag when she tossed some dirty tissues in the toilet at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday.

She quickly realized her engagement ring and earrings had gone down the drain along with the other tissues.

"I stood there in shock, like I wasn't sure if I really flushed it," Wolter said. "Like who flushes a ring down the toilet?"

Kevin Winter, Wolter's fiance, said he rushed right over to help when he got the call.

"We started taking the toilet apart to see if it was still there, clearly it wasn't," Winter said. "It was a really scary feeling actually."

Wolter called JCSD at 7:30 a.m. when they opened and a team was sent over to set a trap downstream from her home.

"The young lady was actually very wise and reading online about how not to flush anymore water and it helped her out a lot," Daniel Cardenas with JCSD said.

The ring and earrings were recovered in the trap just after 9 a.m.

"A ring like that is very important and we're just happy we were able to do the best to successfully recover it," Cardenas said.

JCSD said Wolter was very fortunate to be at the end of a low-flow sewer main because usually the flow would have just taken everything in its path away.

"To have it come back to be on her finger is priceless. It was just amazing," Winter said.

"Without them I wouldn't have my engagement ring," Wolter said.

Wolter and Winter were engaged on May 6 and have yet to set a wedding date for 2016.

But one thing is certain, when the day comes they'll have a great story to tell their guests.