A 17-year-old boy has died after his kayak overturned Wednesday afternoon in an Arlington creek. John Cookson was kayaking with two other teenagers on Village Creek near the intersection of Findlay Drive and San Paulo Court when his kayak flipped over. Firefighters responded to the incident around 5:40 p.m., Arlington Fire Department spokesman Lt. Lee Tovar said.
A teenager walked out of the trees near the creek to meet firefighters and direct them to where Cookson was in the creek. Another teenager was holding an unconscious Cookson in the creek. Firefighters pulled Cookson from the water and transported him to the hospital, Tovar said. Cookson was pronounced dead around 11:40 p.m., according to the Tarrant County medical examiner.
The teen worked at Globe Life Park in Arlington, and the Texas Rangers tweeted Thursday about his death. Cookson played tennis and was in the orchestra at Lamar High School, where he was a junior, school officials said. Grief counselors are available at the school.
