About FlashAlert on Twitter:
FlashAlert utilizes the free service Twitter to distribute emergency text messages. While you are welcome to register your cell phone text message address directly into the FlashAlert system, we recommend that you simply "follow" the FlashAlert account for Clark Co. Sheriff's Office by clicking on the link below and logging in to (or creating) your free Twitter account. Twitter sends messages out exceptionally fast thanks to arrangements they have made with the cell phone companies.
Click here to add Clark Co. Sheriff's Office to your Twitter account or create one.
@ClarkCoSheriff
1-30-2023 13:32 hours:
The persons involved in this incident are being identified. The small watercraft was occupied by Randy Greer, age 65, of Woodland, WA, and Robert Stevenson, age 65, of La Center, WA.
The small aluminum watercraft reportedly struck a pole in the water which caused the craft to start to take on water before capsizing. Greer was rescued from the overturned craft by another boater in the area. Greer reported that Stevenson was last seen continuing down the river near River Mile 13. Greer was evaluated by medical personnel and released at the scene. Stevenson was not located yesterday before search efforts were called off.
Today, search efforts were continued by Clark County Fire and Rescue, CCSO Marine Unit, and CCSO UAS Unit personnel. At around 12:30 hours today, UAS operators located what appeared to be a person in the water about a half-mile downriver from the location the boat was thought to have overturned. CCSO Marine personnel were able to get to the person and confirm they were deceased and recovered the person to the shore.
An investigator from the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office responded to the scene.
The recovered person was identified as Stevenson.
Update- Photos Attached
On 1/29/23 at around 12:34 hours, personnel from Clark County Fire and Rescue and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) were dispatched to a water incident near river mile 13 of the North Fork of the Lewis River. An uninvolved boater called 911 and reported he had found a small boat capsized on the river. The caller reported they had found one male in the water and helped him to shore. The rescued boater reported that his friend, a 65-year-old male, was also in the capsized boat and still missing. Neither of the two occupants had been wearing a life jacket.
Boats from Clark County Fire and Rescue and CCSO’s Marine Unit responded to the search. The river was searched by boat for several hours. CCSO deputies utilized an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to assist with the search from the air. Both banks of the river were searched from shore by fire and law enforcement personnel. The missing boater was not found. At 16:00 hours, the search was suspended.
Names of the involved will not be released pending confirmation of notifications to the family.
The CCSO Marine Unit will attempt additional search efforts again tomorrow.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office would like to urge all boaters to wear a Personal Floatation Device approved by the United States Coast Guard.