Boy, 11, drowns in Uncompahgre

Daily Press Senior Writer

MONTROSE — Father's Day turned tragic when an 11-year-old boy drowned in the Uncompahgre River during a family outing.

Brandon Gomez was the second child in two years to die after becoming ensnared on debris near the bike path bridge off of Rio Grand Avenue/West Oak Grove Road.

Montrose County Undersheriff Kevin Walters said Gomez was on an inner-tubing trip with a party of five, including his mother, on Sunday afternoon.

According to sheriff's reports, a man in the party floated around a bend and noticed Gomez entangled on the limbs of a submerged tree. He tried frantically to free him.

"He attempted, I think, three times and was finally able to get him untangled," Walters said. "They attempted to resuscitate him until the ambulance crew arrived."

Two witnesses, an adult and a juvenile, also tried to help; Walters said it appeared as though one of them called 911.

Brandon was wearing a life vest and also traveling with a group; important safety precautions, Walters said. "Accidents can truly happen," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family."

Walters said the child was taken to the hospital, but died.

Montrose County Coroner Dr. Thomas Canfield said cause of death was pending autopsy results, but the circumstances were consistent with drowning. Gomez was resuscitated but pronounced dead at the hospital, he said.

Canfield said that because there is a chance a person can survive a cold-water drowning, resuscitation should always be attempted.

The Uncompahgre was flowing swift, because of spring runoff, Walters said, but he did not know how deep the river was at the accident site, nor how long Gomez was thought to have been underwater.

The accident occurred approximately a quarter-mile south of the bike path bridge, near the scene of the 2005 accident that claimed Collin Free, also 11. Free became entangled on a logjam directly beneath the bridge while tubing with family members. Several witnesses helped free him, but he was comatose and was taken off life support three weeks later.

"A lot of people tube that river. There have been other (accidents)," the undersheriff said. "It's rough. I can't even imagine."

Contact Katharhynn Heidelberg via e-mail at katharhynnh@montrosepress.com