On 7/28/2012 at 1713 hrs I was dispatched to the area of the Swan River at the highway 209 bridge concerning the drowning on an adult male.

At 1740 I arrived at 15 Shady Lane in Ferndale and found the deceased on a private deck along the Swan River at this residence.  CPR had been in progress prior to my arrival, however, resuscitation attempts had ceased at the direction of a Dr.

Next, I spoke with Witness 1 and 2 who had been at their parents residence, approximately 1/4 of a mile up the Swan River and had witnessed the victim hanging onto the side of his kayak in the rapids.  The witnesses indicated that the victim was holding onto the side of his kayak, his head was barely above the water and his life jacket had risen above his head.  They yelled at the victim, however, he did not respond.

Witness 1 and 2 then drove away from their parents residence in an attempt to rescue the victim.  Approximately 3 -5 minutes passed before they pulled him from the water near the river side deck.  The Victims head was under water at the time witness 1 pulled him out of the water.  The kayak was not located at this time.

After speaking with witness 1 and 2, I spoke with witness 3, witness 3 along with witness 4 had been kayaking with the victim.  Witness 3 has been a friend of the victim for approximately 15 years and believed that this was the first time the victim had been in a kayak.  Witness 3 advised that he and the victim both entered the rapids and both were thrown out of their kayaks.  Witness 3 said he essentially walked to the shore and then saw the victim holding onto his kayak.  Witness 3 threw his paddle to the victim and told him to stand up.  Despite his efforts to help the victim he saw him continue down the river and around a bend.

I then spoke with witness 4, who is also a friend of the victim.  Witness 4 advised that he had never kayaked with the victim and had been in front of witness 3 and the victim when they were in the rapids.  Witness 4 added that he, Witness 3 and the victim had put into the Swan River at about 1400 hrs at the river access in Lake County (South of Ferndale Drive Bridge).  He also advised that none had been drinking.

After speaking with Witness 4 I examined the victim''s body.  The victims lips were purple and I could see no visible trauma on his body or head.  There was no petechial evidence and rigor or livor had not yet set in.  The victim had been intubated and when I removed the tubes a large amount of clear fluid came from his nostrils and mouth.  The victim han not been wearing a helmet and had been wearing a US Coast Guard Auxillary life jacket of an adult XXX large size.

After examining the victims body I spoke to his wife.  She indicated that her husband had never kayaked before and added that he had a history of heart affibrilation and sleep apnea and was taking atenolol and coumadin.

There was no evidence of foul play and based on the circumstances and evidence at the scene the cause of death will be listed as drowning.  The manner of death is listed as accidental.
Ferndale                      