KAMPSVILLE - The Calhoun Sheriff's Office on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, released the name of the drowning victim at the Kampsville Boat Launch.
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At 7:11 a.m. on Aug. 19, 2024, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office was notified by West Central 911 Dispatch that a man had entered the Illinois River at the Kampsville boat launch to retrieve his boat and had gone under the water and had not resurfaced.
Subsequent to an investigation and search efforts; Roger M. Hatcher, 89, of Pearl, was located and found to be deceased.
First Responders from the following agencies responded to the emergency or were present to assist during the incident:
- Calhoun Volunteer EMS
- North Calhoun Fire Department
- Morgan County Dive Team
- Illinois Conservation Police
- Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office
- Greene County Sheriff’s Office
- Pike County Sheriff’s Department
- Calhoun County Emergency Services Disaster Agency
A Deputy Sheriff from Greene County Sheriff’s Office arrived first on scene and was later assisted by the aforementioned agencies.
A witness advised Law Enforcement Personnel that he and the deceased were attempting to launch their boat from the Kampsville boat ramp when the rope tying their boat down snapped, sending the boat out into river.
The witness stated Hatcher entered the Illinois River in an attempt to retrieve the boat, and had gone under the water.
The Illinois Conservation Police as well as the North Calhoun Fire Department arrived and deployed boats into the river to begin search efforts. Shortly thereafter, the Morgan County Dive Team arrived and also put a sonar boat into the water. Calhoun County Volunteer EMS was on scene and remained at the scene throughout the efforts.
Emergency efforts were coordinated by the Calhoun County Emergency Services Disaster Agency. Search efforts continued through the entirety of the day, which involved dive teams entering the water.
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