DONIPHAN- An afternoon of swimming on Current River Saturday ended tragically when a Chaffee, Mo., man drowned after jumping from a rock into the river.
The body of Jeremy P. Evans, 34, was recovered by the Missouri State Highway Patrol just before 6 p.m., more than three hours after he was last seen struggling in the water.
Evans jumped into the river at about 2:20 p.m. from a rock just above Float Camp, located about eight miles north of the U.S. 160 bridge at Doniphan, according to Trooper J.T. Wilson.
The rock, located on the east side of the river, wasn't "very tall (maybe) 4 feet," said Wilson, who described the water depth as fluctuating, but about 15-feet deep.
The water, he said, at that location is "pretty swift; there's a moderate current there."
After jumping into the water, Evans "was on top for a little bit, struggling on the top," Wilson said. "A witness actually went in to try to help him, and then (Evans) was trying to pull him under, so he had to back up."
Evans, who was swimming at Float Camp with a small group of three to four individuals, reportedly went under and never resurfaced.
Wilson said he pulled up within a minute of Evans going under.
"I was like a mile down; I pulled up and they were waving me down," said Wilson, who immediately began dragging operations.
Within about 20 minutes additional personnel arrived to assist, including Troopers Brian Arnold and Dave Nelson, patrol Sgt. Randy Dye, Ripley County Fire and Rescue and Ripley County Deputy Earl Wheetley.
Wilson said the dragging started where Evans was last seen.
"We worked our way across the river and repeated and worked down river 50 to 100 yards," explained Wilson, who described the river being about 75 yards across at that location.
Fire and Rescue personnel, he said, also did some diving.
Recovery was made by dragging at 5:52 p.m. at a location approximately 50 yards down from the rock, Wilson said.
Evans was found "just down pretty much from where he went in," said Wilson.
The water depth where Evans was found was 12 to 15 feet, said Wilson, who described the river as being higher than normal and river traffic as "busy" Saturday.
Evans was pronounced by Ripley County Coroner Mike Jackson at 6:37 p.m.
Wilson said Evans' swimming capabilities are unknown, but "I don't think he was a strong swimmer.
"There was no alcohol involved. I think his swimming ability and the current of the water are the contributing circumstances."
It also is possible Evans inhaled some of the cold river water when he jumped in, Wilson said.