A Salt Lake Valley resident has died as the result of a rafting accident on the Weber River near Henefer. The Summit County Sheriff’s Office noted that it’s still runoff season in the area.
Sheriff’s Lt. Andrew Wright said the fatality was identified as 69-year-old Steven Devroom of Sandy.
He said the call about the accident came on Thursday the 28th, just after 1 p.m.
The mishap involved two rafts with four people, including Devroom, his 22-year-old son, and two grandchildren, one of them a 12-year-old girl, according to available information.
The report said Devroom’s raft flipped when he went over a concrete diversion dam in the river. He became wedged, with his raft and equipment, between the dam and debris in the river.
Search and Rescue units arrived in a little less than 20 minutes.
The victim was taking on water, but was able to keep his head above the surface of the river.
Deputies jumped into the river to help. In the end, one deputy (who had been driving by off-duty and ran to assist) got Devroom’s legs free. The victim was swept further down river and again got caught on debris, but deputies finally pulled him to the river bank.
The victim was unconscious by this time. Medical care was provided at the scene. Devroom was air-lifted to a Salt Lake area hospital where he died.
Lt. Wright said it was a tragic incident and added, “The rivers are running fast and they are very cold. We suggest people wait until the runoff is over and the river is not as dangerous.”
