BOISE, Idaho — The Ada County Coroner's Office has identified an Arizona man who died after he went underwater on the Boise River and drowned. Officials said 34-year-old Clinton Bieschke was retrieved from the Boise River after he was found submerged. The coroner's office responded to a local hospital around 7 p.m. Monday, June 30, following the incident.
Police: Man suspected of drowning in Boise River
Boise Police said a man died after a river incident involving his inner tube.
Author: Zoe Tuttle
Published: 11:57 AM MDT July 1, 2025
BOISE, Idaho — The Boise Police Department (BPD) on Tuesday reported that a man died near the Boise River on Monday evening.
Officials said police received a call for a possible drowning around 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 30.
When officers arrived, they found some individuals performing CPR on a man. Boise Police took over the CPR process until Boise Fire and Ada County Paramedics arrived and took the man to the hospital.
BPD reports that the man did not survive the incident.
Officials are now investigating this death. Based on preliminary evidence, it appears that the man was floating down the river with friends when his single-person inner tube got caught in a tree and he went under.
After the family is notified, the Ada County Coroner's Office will release the identity of the man.
Boise police report Monday drowning of Boise River floater
By ROYCE MCCANDLESS rmccandless@idahopress.com
The Boise Police Department announced the death of a Boise River floater Tuesday, a little over a week after the 2025 float season officially began. BPD reported learning about the incident Monday around 5:36 p.m. after receiving multiple calls regarding a possible drowning on the Boise River near Ninth Street. Individuals at the scene were providing CPR on a male adult as BPD officers arrived — taking over CPR until Boise Fire and Ada County Paramedics arrived to transport the victim to a local hospital, according to a BPD press release.
The man did not survive and a preliminary investigation has shown that the man was floating the river with friends unit his single inner tube got caught on a tree and he went under water, the release said.
A BPD spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the man was not wearing a life jacket.
A death investigation is actively being conducted by Boise Police and the Ada County Coroner, the latter of which will release the victim’s identity after notifying next of kin.
In addition to the drowning taking place early in the float season, it also came at a time when the speed of the river is at the high end of the spectrum for floating. During a typical float season, the river flow speed ranges from 500-1,500 cubic feet per second (cfs), with higher river speeds increasing the risks associated with floating. At the time of writing, the river speed was reported at just under 1,300 cfs, according to the Float the Boise website.
During the official float season announcement last month, Boise Fire Department officials remarked that the simplest action to avoid tragic outcomes is to wear a life jacket. According to Idaho state law, all children ages 14 and under are required to wear a life jacket on the water, though emergency responders recommend them for everyone.
Free life jacket loaner stations can be found at both the entry and exit points of the Boise River float — at Barber Park and Ann Morrison Park, respectively.
Beyond wearing proper safety equipment, floaters are also urged to not tie tubes or rafts together; doing so makes the navigation of river hazards more difficult and increases the chance of being wrapped around or otherwise trapped in a river obstacle.
Consuming alcohol on the river also remains illegal, and BPD, in coordination with the Ada County Sheriff's Office Marine Division, will have a presence on the water this season to enforce proper drinking and life jacket practices and otherwise encourage responsible floating behavior.
Regardless of the circumstance, floaters should be paying attention to the key landmarks as they float to help first responders conduct a rescue, and, if the need arises, never hesitate to call 911.
