Authorities identify Wenatchee River drowning victim

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Authorities identify Wenatchee River drowning victim

By Kaylin Bettinger World Staff Reporter

Monday, July 9, 2012

LEAVENWORTH — A 42-year-old Seattle man drowned Sunday while swimming at Barn Beach downstream of Blackbird Island in Leavenworth.

Monty Carter was out hiking with three friends earlier in the day. After hiking, he waded out into the eddy to cool off about 5:30 p.m. said Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett. He began shouting for help but went under before anyone could get to him.

Bystanders looked along the shore and swam around in the eddy but could not find the man, said John Wisemore, the sheriff’s chief of operations.

Rescuers later found him about five feet under the water, just downstream of where he was last seen. He had been under water for more than 35 minutes by the time rescuers recovered his body.

Carter lived in Seattle and worked at the Northwest School where he taught music and coached the JV girls basketball team, said Margie Combs, director of communication for the school. He also worked at the Lakeside School in Seattle. He graduated from Yale University in 1993 with a masters of music in piano performance, Combs said.

“Monty had a beautiful connection with our students. He was a beloved foundation in our community, both teaching and coaching,” Combs said.

Barn Beach is within the same 1.5 mile stretch of river that claimed the lives of three people in two months last summer.

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Suz 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Is this stretch of river posted as dangerous? Maybe the county should place white crosses wherever a person has drowned in the last ten years. Those get my attention on the road so why not on the river?

kyook 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Virtually every stretch of the river is dangerous, some more so than others. Do we really need the county to erect little signs to tell us that?

Suz 10 months, 2 weeks ago

I was referring to the 1.5 mile stretch where three people died last year. If four markers saved one life it would be well worth it. Obviously Mr Carter (out of area) did not realize the danger in this particular run.

kyook 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Of course it would be worth it if....

There are stretches all over the river that have claimed lives at one time or another. Do we need to sign them all or should good water sense/personal responsibility prevail?

I can see it now, somebody drowns in the river and a lawsuit ensues because nobody told them that that part of the river might be dangerous.

Dudleydoright 10 months, 2 weeks ago

I don't think the markers on the road do anything. In Mexico they have shrines to the dead and it looks awful, the markers are a step in the wrong direction. If warnings are needed then they should be placed where the access is for tubers, rafters etc.. The Wenatchee is known to be a dangerous river due to it's high spring flows, ice cold water and obstructions.

kyook 10 months, 2 weeks ago

"The Wenatchee is known to be a dangerous river"

Of course it is, as are most other rivers under the same conditions. Perhaps we should put up billboards all over the nation to advise people of this fact.

And while we're at it, maybe we should put up signs that tell people that it can be dangerous to cross the street against the light or in the middle of the block, or to drive with a cup of hot coffee between your legs, or to free climb mountains alone...ad infinitum.