A Milton-Freewater man drowned Saturday afternoon in the Walla Walla River.
Just before 2 p.m., Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office dispatch received a report of a body floating down the Walla Walla River near Harris Park Bridge. The caller reported bystanders had been able to pull the person from the water and CPR was being performed.
Paramedics were dispatched and arrived on scene at approximately the same time as sheriff’s deputy. Attempts to revive the victim were unsuccessful and the person was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The deceased male was later identified as 46-year-old Kerry Alan Ronald Ganson of Milton-Freewater.
According to a friend of Ganson’s, the two had been hiking up the south fork of the Walla Walla River about a mile or so east of Harris Park Campground. The friend stated that Ganson was attempting to cross the river when the current swept him off his feet. Ganson began to float down the river and the friend lost sight of him.
According to the sheriff’s office, the friend ran down the trail, back to his vehicle, and drove to the Harris Park Bridge (about two to three miles) where the people had pulled Ganson out of the river and began CPR.
