Medical examiner to probe cause of city man's death

The accidental death of a 20-year-old man this weekend in the Maskepetoon natural area needs to be reviewed, said a Red Deer city councillor.

“It’s a terrible thing. My sympathies go out to the family,” said Councillor Larry Pimm, who lives in Oriole Park near the 74-acre treed area where a man fell into the Red Deer River.

“There is a big cliff there. Everybody knows there is a cliff,” said the councillor.

But Pimm still believes the city should review conditions at the spot where a man slipped down an embankment to determine whether that Maskepetoon site is safe enough for residents.

Police were alerted at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday that a young man had lost his footing on a steep slope and fallen down about six metres into the Red Deer River.

“It was a fairly substantial drop where he was standing,” said Red Deer City RCMP watch commander, Sgt. Dave Kalist, who believes alcohol, rough terrain, and overcast night-time conditions were all factors in the death.

The Red Deer man, who has not been identified by police, was with a friend who reported the accident.

Members of Red Deer Emergency Services searched the fast-flowing river in a jet boat for several hours before the body was found at about 6:30 a.m. near the spot where he’d fallen in.

“With how fast the river was flowing, it was difficult...the water was murky as well,” said Kalist, who noted four to six RCMP officers responded to the call.

“It’s a pretty tragic accident,” said Kalist.

The medical examiner will have to determine whether the man drowned or was killed in the fall.

The Maskepetoon Natural Area is not a groomed park, Kalist added, “It a piece of bush that happens to be near the river.”

He cautioned members of the public not to put themselves on unfamiliar, rough terrain at night. “Anytime you’re near water and it’s dark, you can lose your footing. It can happen to anybody. It’s best not to go near water at night.”

Pimm added the city won’t necessarily make “radical changes” because of the accident, but should review what happened in light of future plans for the natural area.

The City of Red Deer has been working on a plan to make the Maskepetoon area more pedestrian friendly. The city is considering boardwalks, walking trails, interpretive signs and themes.

This is the second fatal accident within a year in Red Deer’s Waskasoo Parks system. A 13-year-old boy drowned last summer trying to swim across Bower Ponds.

Contact Lana Michelin at lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com