ON 05/15/09 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:45 PM ON THE MISSOURI RIVER, 1.9 MILES EAST OF RUNNING WATER, SD A FLATBOTTOM BOAT WITH A 40 HP TILLER MOTOR WAS FOUND RUNNING IN GEAR UP AGAINST A SANDBAR.  THE RIVER WAS NARROW IN THIS STRETCH WITH ABOUT A 4MPH CURRENT AND MANY DEPTHS FROM A FEW INCHES TO 25 FT DEEP.  THE RIVER WAS SANDY WITH AN OCCASIONAL TREE STUMP AND OTHER LOGS PRESENT.  THE BOAT HAD ONE SEAT, IT WAS FLIPPED ON ITS BACK HANGING NEAR THE BACK OF THE BOAT.  THE SEAT WAS THE KIND THAT HAD A BRACKET TIGHTENED ON THE CONSOL OF THE FLATBOTTOM BOAT AND HAD APPEARED TO HAVE COME LOOSE.  THE BOAT APPEARED TO HAVE A LARGE DENT ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE BOAT AND ANOTHER ONE ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT THAT THE FAMILY SAID WAS NOT PRESENT BEFORE THAT DAY.  UNKNOWN IF DENTS CAUSED ACCIDENT OR IF DENTS OCCURRED AFTER BOAT WAS RUNNING UNMANNED.  NOTHING ELSE IN THE BOAT SEEMED DAMAGED OR OUT OF PLACE.  INSIDE THE BOAT WAS ABOUT 18 BEER CANS ON ICE, 2 EMPTY CANS AND ONE HALF FULL.  THE BOAT OPERATOR WAS 6'3" INCHES AND 285 POUNDS.  HE HAD NUMEROUS HOURS OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING BOATS AND GREW UP ON THE MISSOURI RIVER.  HE ARRIVED AT THE BOAT RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 1PM AND WAS OBSERVED BY A CAMPER LEAVING THE BOAT RAMP WITHOUT A LIFE JACKET ON.  LIFE JACKETS WERE IN THE BOAT STORED UNDER THE FRONT OF THE JON BOAT.  OFFICERS DEVELOPED AN IDEA OF WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND WITH THE HELP OF CADAVER DOGS THAT AREA WAS NARROWED.  A SHOE BELONGING TO THE VICITIM WAS FOUND JUST DOWNSTREAM FROM THE DETERMINED AREA ON THE EVENING OF 05/16/2009.  SIDESCAN SONAR, AIRPLANES, DRAGS, OBSERVERS AND CADAVER DOGS WERE ALL USED IN THE RECOVERY OF THE VICTIM.  DAILY PLANES AND BOATS SEARCHED THE AREA IN QUESTION.  THE BODY WAS DISCOVERED ON 05/25/2009 APPROXIMATELY 5.4 MILES DOWNSTREAM FROM WHERE THE BOAT WAS DISCOVERED.  THE VICTIM WAS NOT WEARING A LIFE JACKET AND HAD NO VISIBLE MARKS OR INJURIES.
RUNNING WATER                 