The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has identified two men whose boat capsized on the North Fork Lewis River on Sunday, one of whom was recovered from the water the next day.
At about 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 29, personnel from the sheriff’s office and Clark County Fire and Rescue dispatched to near the 13th mile of the North Fork Lewis River, a release from the sheriff’s office stated. A boater reported finding a small boat capsized in the river.
The caller found one of the two boaters, identified as Randy Greer, 65, of Woodland, and helped him to shore. Greer said the other occupant, identified as Robert Stevenson, 65, of La Center, was still missing.
Neither of the boat’s occupants were wearing life jackets, the release stated.
Boats from CCFR and the sheriff’s office’s marine unit responded to search the river. Search efforts also utilized a drone, the release stated.
At 4 p.m. on Jan. 29, Stevenson had not been found and the search was suspended, according to the release. On Jan. 30, the search began again, and at about 12:30 p.m., drone operators found what looked to be a person in the water a half-mile downriver from where the boat was thought to have overturned.
Sheriff’s office personnel were able to get to the person and bring him to shore. They confirmed it was Stevenson, who was found dead, the release stated.
The small boat reportedly struck a pole in the water which led to the capsizing, according to the release.
