The information that NRO is reporting is information gained through Butler Co. Investigations Detective Sgt. and Detective.  NRO has also attached the narratives provided by the detectives from the BU county SO.

On Monday, May 17th, at approximately 2130 hrs. officers from Butler Co SO received a call from BU CO dispatch about a kayaking accident on the Walnut River south of the city of Augusta.  The incident location is located at the Osage Dam.  The Dam is a low head dam that is located just south of the Santa Fe RR and city of Augusta maintenance shop.  Once on the scene BU CO learned that rescuers had removed one person from the water but one individual was still missing.  The first operator was Operator2, who was pulled from the water and taken to Wesley Hospital where he was treated for hypothermia.  the second operator was Operator1, who was still missing.

BU CO SO, BU CO EMS, BU CO rescue, Augusta Water Rescue and SG CO Fire/Rescue started searching for Operator1.  The search went on until approximately 0130 hrs.  The search was to resume at 0900 hrs.  At 0900 hrs rescuers resumed the search for Operator1.  At approximately 1501 hrs Operator1's body was found downstream from the low head dam lying in a small depression on the river banks edge.  The body of Operator1s was processed by the Butler CO investigation Division and was then released to the forensic center for an autopsy.

On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at approximately 1300 hrs two subjects met with Operator2 at his residence in Augusta, KS to interview him in regards to the accident on the 17th.  It was discovered that the 2 subjects were not very experienced in kayaking and did not know the layout of the Walnut river.  The 2 subjects had made arrangements for a person to pick them up after they had completed their adventure.  Operator2 and Operator1 arrived at the low head dam and discussed their plan on how to navigate the low head dam.  Operator2 wanted to walk the kayaks around to the dam and put back in, but Operator1 wanted to go over the dam.  Operator2 told Operator1 that if he wanted to go over the dam, that he would have his back if anything happened.  Operator2 recalls Operator1 going over the dam and letting out a loud scream.  Operator2 ran around the dam with his kayak and tried to help Operator1.  Operator2 had Operator1 on his kayak but could not hold on and could not get back to shore.  The water current kept sucking them back in.  Operator2 held onto Operator1 for as long as he could before Operator1 said tell my family I love them and went under not coming back up.  Operator2 stated that the PFD Operator1 had on surfaced but Operator1 was not in it.  Operator1s PFD was still clasped together by the budkles so the PFD was torn from the body of Operator1s underwater.  Operator2 stated that the next thing he remembered was some guy standing above him on the river bank on his cell phone.  Operator2 recalls that rescuers threw him a rope and pulled him out of the water and took him to EMS personnel Operator2 was then transported to the hospital.

Autopsy from the forensic center stated that the cause of death was from accidental drowning.
Augusta                       