Boisean after he removes life vest in an effort to save himself By Kristin Rodine krodine@idahostatesman.com August 14, 2017 10:57 AM UPDATED August 15, 2017 07:03 AM William Navarro, 48, had forgotten his life jacket when he headed to Banks for a Friday evening rafting trip with his girlfriend, so he stopped at a nearby rafting company to borrow one. But when the rapids of Mike’s Hole pitched him from the “cataraft” into the Payette River north of Boise, Navarro wasn’t able to haul himself back into the raft. He reportedly thought the buckles on the front of the Class 5 vest were foiling his efforts, Boise County Sheriff’s Sgt. David Anthony said Monday. Navarro took the vest off and tossed it over the rear seat of the raft, Anthony said, but he was still unable to get back on board and ended up stranded in the fast-moving water without a flotation device. His girlfriend, Heidi Landa, tried desperately to help Navarro back into the raft, Anthony said. As the raft approached another set of rapids, Navarro reportedly pushed himself away from the raft and floated downriver, Anthony said. Landa managed to steer the raft to shore with one oar — the other had been lost in the rapids — and ran along the bank until she lost sight of Navarro near Chief Parrish rapids, Anthony said. Landa then ran up the steep, brushy slope and flagged down a passing motorist who called 911 at 8:52 p.m. Friday. Rescuers found Navarro face down in the water, unconscious and not breathing, just upstream of Beehive Bend, Anthony said. An air ambulance responded, he said, but efforts to revive Navarro were unsuccessful, he said. “The lesson we take away from this is never, ever take your life jacket off until your float is complete,” said Anthony, who investigated the fatal accident. If Navarro had kept the borrowed life jacket on, Anthony said, “his chances of survival would have been very, very good.” “We don’t know why he didn’t try to swim to shore,” he said, noting that Navarro might have been exhausted by repeated efforts to get back onto the raft. The river water was flowing at an estimated 8 to 10 mph, Anthony said. Friends and mourners flooded Navarro’s and Landa’s Facebook pages with grief and condolences Monday. Navarro was a longtime Boise resident. Navarro’s death has been ruled an accidental drowning, Deputy Coroner Kuijas said. He estimating Navarro was in the water for a half hour or more before he was located. Rescue crews from Horseshoe Bend, Garden Valley and Cascade Raft Co. responded to the 911 call, Anthony said, and Navarro was spotted by a Horseshoe Bend firefighter on a jet ski. Anthony said the Friday evening trip was reportedly Landa’s first-ever whitewater rafting trip, but Navarro was a more experienced rafter. He was positioned at the front of the two-seat catamaran-style raft, which features inflatable pontoons and a metal frame. Landa moved to the front seat after Navarro fell into the river, he said. Anthony, who investigated the fatal rafting accident, said he returned to the scene Saturday and found the raft with the borrowed whitewater-rated life vest draped over the rear seat. Kristin Rodine: 208-377-6447 Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/article167097972.html#storylink=cpy Payette River between Horseshoe Bend and Banks, August 12, 2017, the day after a Boise man drowned after being thrown from his raft. A Boise man has died in a boating accident on the Payette River. Sgt. David Anthony of the Boise Co. Sheriff’s Office said Saturday that William Navarro and his girlfriend, Heidi Landa, were floating down the river in a catamaran-style raft shortly before 9 p.m. Friday night near Chief Parrish, between Horseshoe Bend and Banks. When they hit the rapids, Anthony said, Navarro fell out of the raft. Navarro and Landa were both wearing life jackets. However, Navarro took his life jacket off after having difficulties in trying to get back onto the raft, Anthony said. “He concluded perhaps that by removing his life jacket it would make it easier for him to re-board the boat,” Anthony said. “After he removed his life jacket he was still unable to re-board the boat, and was unable to get his life jacket back on to go through the next set of rapids.” Landa tried to help Navarro, but he went under after they came up on another set of rapids. The Horseshoe Bend Fire Department’s water rescue team found Navarro near Beehive Bend. He was unconscious and not breathing. “He was brought to the shore, but medical personnel were unable to revive him,” Anthony said. Before setting out on the river, Navarro had forgotten his life jacket, but stopped at Bear Valley Rafting in Banks to borrow one. Bear Valley Rafting owner Phil White knows the Payette River and how dangerous it can be. “It’s very swift, very powerful, and the currents are very strong,” White said. “It’s very turbulent, very fast, and it can throw you pretty much in any direction that you’re really not prepared for.” Sgt. Anthony said that, to the best of his knowledge, Navarro’s death is the first in Boise County that is rafting-related. He also said that when rafting accidents do occur, very few of them involve guided tours. © 2017 KTVB-TV Boise man dies in boating accident on Payette River SearchSearch Keyword: Latest Videos 25 years of scares at Field of Screams in Mountville, Pennsylvania Washington Times Missile Defense Agency Successfully Tests ICBM Intercept System Washington Times WATCH: Tank Buster: A-10 Thunderbolt II in action Washington Times 25 years of scares at Field of Screams in Mountville, Pennsylvania Washington Times Missile Defense Agency Successfully Tests ICBM Intercept System Washington Times More videos: Missile Defense Agency Successfully Tests ICBM Intercept System WATCH: Tank Buster: A-10 Thunderbolt II in action 25 years of scares at Field of Screams in Mountville, Pennsylvania Missile Defense Agency Successfully Tests ICBM Intercept System WATCH: Tank Buster: A-10 Thunderbolt II in action 25 years of scares at Field of Screams in Mountville, Pennsylvania Missile Defense Agency Successfully Tests ICBM Intercept System WATCH: Tank Buster: A-10 Thunderbolt II in action 25 years of scares at Field of Screams in Mountville, Pennsylvania Recommended Planned Parenthood enters transgender-hormone market as abortions decline, clinics close Best states for concealed carry — ranked worst to first Koreas set up stunning direct bilateral talks with Trump, Olympics pressures mounting [Gallery] Remember ‘The Human Barbie’? 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Question of the Day One Day One Week One Month Forever I Don’t Even Bother View results Story TOpics Human Interest David Anthony Print By – Associated Press – Sunday, August 13, 2017 HORSESHOE BEND, Idaho (AP) – A Boise man has died in a boating accident on the Payette River in southwest Idaho. KTVB-TV reports (https://bit.ly/2uDA29w ) that William Navarro was floating with his girlfriend down the river in a catamaran-style raft Friday night in Boise County, between Horseshoe Bend and Banks. Boise County Sheriff’s Sgt. David Anthony says Navarro fell out of the raft when they hit rapids. He had trouble getting back in before another set of rapids. Anthony says both Navarro and his girlfriend were wearing life jackets. However, Navarro removed his life jacket after having trouble getting back onto the raft. Later, he was unable to get the life jacket back on before hitting more rapids. Anthony says his girlfriend tried to help him but he went under water. The Horseshoe Bend Fire Department’s water rescue team found him near Beehive Bend. Medical personnel weren’t able to revive him.