Accident Database

Report ID# 2436

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Accident Description

Colorado River rafter trapped in roots, dies

By Rocky Mountain News July 11, 2007

A rafter who fell unconscious after she became trapped in roots along the Colorado River in Mesa County died Tuesday. Mesa County sheriff's deputies identified the woman Tuesday as Lisa Walker, 44, of Illinois. She died at 3:41 p.m. at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Grand Junction, according to the The Daily Sentinel, of Grand Junction. Walker was pulled from the river Monday afternoon in the area of Eagle Rim Park just below a pedestrian bridge, deputies said. Grand Junction firefighters initially responded to a call of several people stuck on the roots along the river. When firefighters and divers arrived, they found three people trying to resuscitate Walker.

Woman dies day after river rescue

By MIKE SACCONE The Daily Sentinel

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

A woman pulled from the Colorado River near Eagle Rim Park on Sunday died Monday afternoon, according to the Mesa County Coroner’s Office. Rob Kurtzman, a forensic pathologist with the coroner’s office, said 44-year-old Lisa Walker, of Illinois, died at 3:41 p.m. at St. Mary’s Hospital. He said the cause of death was drowning. “We didn’t need to do an autopsy on her; however, our office did investigate the case,” Kurtzman said. “There was no indication that there was foul play.” Walker, who was rafting down the Colorado River with her family Sunday, fell out of her tube after it became entangled in a tree. Emergency responders managed to pull her from the river and keep her alive with CPR that day.

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