The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
from the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Department
Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office reported that on June 21, 2019 at approximately 11:15 a.m. a call was received requesting Swift Water Rescue to rescue a person that was attempting to paddle board down the Gunnison River. The paddle boarder was reported to have entered the Gunnison River near County Road 32, also known as McCabe’s Lane. Shortly after entering the river the 31-year-old female lost control of her board and later got hung up on a tree that was in the water. Gunnison Deputy Sheriffs along with personnel from the Swift Water Rescue team, Gunnison Fire and EMS quickly responded to the incident location and recovered the victim. The victim was then taken to Gunnison Valley Hospital and later flown to Grand Junction. The Sheriff’s Office was later advised that the victim did not survive. This incident continues to be investigated. Victim identification is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
On June 21, 2019, at approximately 2:10 p.m. Gunnison Sheriff’s Office received notification from National Parks Service that they had located a victim of an apparent kayaking accident. Deputies from the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area near Colorado 149 and Colorado State Hwy 50 where they met with National Parks Service officers. The occupant of the kayak was removed from the water and CPR was performed with negative results. The 65-year-old female did not survive. This person began kayaking in this area earlier in the morning. The victim identification is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Editor’s Note: Sheriff John Gallowich said neither victim was a local and both were wearing life vests at the time of the incidents. More information will be released as it becomes available. A story will also be in the June 28 issue of the Crested Butte News.
