PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A death investigation is underway after officials pulled a 23-year-old man from Toutle River near Castle Rock on Thursday, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said.
At around 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, a caller reported a man had jumped into the river and had not come back up.
The Cowlitz Dive Team took to the water and searched the river until 9 p.m., alongside deputies and other local law enforcement. After hours of searching, officials paused recovery efforts until the next morning.
Divers recovered the body of William Lewis Hogg of Battle Ground around 2 p.m. Thursday. Hogg’s family was reportedly at the scene and helped with the search and recovery of his body.
According to an initial investigation, Hogg jumped from a 50-foot cliff into Toutle River and did a front flip, causing him to strike his head and chest on the water’s surface.
CCSO said a medical examiner is working to confirm Hogg’s cause of death.