Man found dead in river; drugs possible factor

Published 6:08 am Thursday, July 16, 2015

ARLINGTON ­— The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office dive team on Wednesday evening recovered the body of a Granite Falls man from an island in the South Fork Stillaguamish River.

The man, 21, was reported to be unresponsive and floating in a shallow part of the river around 6 p.m.

Aid crews arrived and began administering CPR.

The dive team reached the scene a short time later and moved the man from the island to the bank of the river, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Shari Ireton said.

Drugs are believed to have been a contributing factor in his death, but cause and manner as well as his identify are pending from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office, Ireton said.