Explore / Safety / Accident Database /

Licking River, OH, Strainer Death

Report ID#87010

2026-05-31
accident date
Brenda Montgomery
victim
15
victim age
Licking River
river
n/a
section
approximately one mile away from Staddens Bridge Road near East Main Street
location
1.2 feet
gage
High
water level
I
river difficulty
Pinned in Boat Against Strainer
cause code(s)
Does not Apply
injury type(s)
High Water
factors
Private
trip type
Kayak - Other
boat type
status?
status

Description

From Tony Hartlry via FB = This is a class 1 river. The section they were on is not straight’. It has a lot of bends that can easily retain trees, logs and debris. The level was high and I’m guessing it was difficult to put your boat where you wanted, when negotiating strainers.

 

Girl, 15, dies after being pulled from Licking River

by: Daniel Griffin, WTRF.com

Posted: Jun 1, 2026 / 10:22 AM EDT

MADISON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WCMH) — A 15-year-old girl died Sunday after being pulled from the Licking River in Madison Township on Sunday, May 31st.

According to Madison Township Fire Chief Nick Garver, crews were called to a part of the Licking River approximately one mile away from Staddens Bridge Road near East Main Street just before 3:30 p.m. Garver said that crews had to cross over a farm field and through a tree line to reach the river, which is when Garver and his lieutenant heard screams for help from the river. The two firefighters, who were the first at the scene, found a family of five trapped on a log jam. Two adults were trapped and two kayakers were holding onto debris. The 15-year-old, later identified as Brenda Montgomery, was trapped and submerged on the upstream side of the log jam.

Garver said it was “incredibly difficult” to keep Montgomery above water before getting her out of the river. Crews were then able to perform CPR on the girl before she was taken via ambulance to Licking Memorial Hospital, where she later died.

Garver said the recent rains swelled the water levels of the Licking River, which made it enticing for some people to get out on the water. However, he warned that if people aren’t careful, they could end up in trouble.

Madison Township Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Newark Fire Department, Licking Township Fire Department, the Licking County Sheriff’s Department, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

 

Madison Township Fire Department Station-100

Spredootsnhaa4P714M3l6i ua   c144aa9i18cf5c3:M4689yh003g1lt0 
Madison Township Fire Department Responds to Fatal Water Rescue on Licking River
​MADISON TOWNSHIP, OH — On the afternoon of May 31, 2026, the Madison Township Fire Department and automatic mutual aid partners responded to a critical water rescue operation on the Licking River that tragically resulted in the drowning of a 15-year-old female.
​At 3:29 PM, emergency crews were dispatched to the 4.2-mile marker on the Licking River, approximately one mile east of Staddens Bridge, following reports of a family of five stranded on a log jam. Due to elevated, dangerous flood waters, first responders immediately initiated an emergency rescue response.
​Upon arriving at the riverbank, Fire Chief Nick Garver and Lieutenant Sullivan encountered rapid currents and individuals calling for help. They observed two adults trapped on a log jam and two kayakers holding onto the debris.
​Rescuers immediately entered the water to reach the family and located a 15-year-old female who had become trapped and fully submerged on the upstream side of the log dam. A sudden drop-off from three to over five feet, combined with violent flood currents, severely hindered initial rescue movements.
​Fighting extreme water pressure and underwater branches, the rescuers, aided by a Newark firefighter, successfully freed the victim at 3:47 PM and moved her to a nearby sandbar, where awaiting crews immediately initiated CPR.
​While medical efforts were underway, Chief Garver and shore personnel utilized throw ropes to safely extract the remaining adult male and adult female from the log jam. All victims and rescuers were safely out of the water by 4:04 PM.
​The teenage victim was transported in cardiac arrest via ground ambulance to Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH). Despite exhaustive lifesaving efforts by first responders and hospital medical staff, she was later pronounced deceased.
​Following the rescue, Madison Township personnel remained on scene to assist the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) with watercraft recovery and scene clearing.
​The Madison Township Fire Department extends its deepest, most heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim during this unimaginably difficult time.
Menu