Boy's body recovered from submerged pickup in Columbia River
PORTLAND, Ore. – Divers recovered the body of a boy from a submerged pickup in the Columbia River Monday night after his father, the driver of the vehicle they were in, lost control in icy freeway conditions and went into the water, according to police.
The 7-year-old boy has been identified as Jacob Ray Arntson, according to the Oregon State Police.
According to Oregon State Police, the boy's father was driving westbound on Interstate 84 when he slid on the ice just before 4:30 p.m., crashed through the guardrail, went down a rocky embankment and into the river about one mile west of Mosier.
The father, John Arntson, 40, escaped and swam to shore but he wasn't able to save his son whose body was recovered from the submerged vehicle about five hours after the crash by members of the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office dive team, OSP said.
The driver was taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, OSP said.
According to OSP, the pickup was found about 20 yards from the shore in about 40 feet of water.
The westbound lanes of Interstate 84 four miles east of Hood River were closed for about 30 to 45 minutes following the accident, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
ODOT says the conditions are ripe tonight for black ice to form on the freeway and cautions drivers to take it easy.
My heart goes out to Mr. Arntson and his family. This man unselfishly gives so much to his school and those around him. I will be praying for them all.
How sad. I cannot imagine being that father or what he is feeling. Condolences to the family and may the father find peace.
John Arntson, 40, of Clackamas was driving the truck.
His 7 year old son Jacob Arntson did not escape and drowned.
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Such sad news. Condolences to the family.
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 @Manic Peddy You should stop talking now.
 @Manic Peddy WTF is that?
I am so glad that we have Fire and Rescue on the River. In the old days before the Departments had the boats and equipment they had to call the Gillnetters and had them bring out thier Divers to do the job with little or no equipment. It was nasty work for Men not trained for it but they never refused. In 40' of water (here in St. Helens is 42.4 Deg. F) that is running too fast to swim in, there is no possible way the father could have saved them both. I am sure that the second he got free that he was swept away from the vehicle. My sympathies to the Father and wishes for acceptance and peace.
So sad. I feel so bad for this family. Realizing his son didn't or wasn't going to make it had to be the single worst moment this father will ever face in his lifetime. My deepest condolences to everyone this tragedy has effected.
browntown.
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Care to give any more fast stuff?
I can only comment on what is posted real time. Do you have that luxury?
Info come up and we cannot take back comments.
 @WebFootSTi You can apologize for carelessly speculating publicly on a tragedy you know nothing about. Regardless of the boys age, posted or not (I had read it last night somewhere else), your comments were inappropriate.
Ouch. 7 year old kid.
This may be my teacher and his son, if so the boy was only 7.
 @trev1218 Sorry to hear that this was your teacher. I'm sure he would appreciate the care and love your school will have to offer him and his family during this time of grief. So very, very sad.Â
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 @WebFootSTi  @gofigure Obviously you don't know how young a seven year old is.  You are a Major Troll and Bigger Jerk.
My condolences to your family.Â
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It is terribly sad this young person died. Â My condolences and prayers to his family, friends and especially his father. Â
 @WebFootSTi  @gofigure The son was a young boy. Yep, he should have just saved himself. Any more stupid comments you want to share with us?
You know the dad will blame himself forever for not being able to save his kid but I'm sure he did all he could. Â So sad.Â
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Regrets to family and friends. Â
@Beti with the current, and the vehicle under 40 foot of water, freezing water and darkness. Getting down to truck a second time woulds be impossible without diving equipment
Roughly how old is the child?Â
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It's a horrible loss for the family, but it could explain why the father swam a way. 2.5 decades ago I was a life guard. I would hate to think that I could not save my dad in such a situation.
 @WebFootSTi Since the father was 40, at most the son would have been 22 or so, but probably much younger is my guess. I'm curious though - what is the distinction you make on how the age of the son could explain why the father swam away?
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I live in Hood River and heard all the sirens yesterday fly past my house on the way to this. This is such a tradgedy. It's a solid sheet of ice every where out here rigt now.Â
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What a horrible tragedy........ Â
 I don't think there is a greater pain on this earth than the lose of a child. regardless of age.
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I wasn't there I don't know the details however, I don't think I could have swam away from the truck with  a child of mine still stuck in it.Â
 @kramr Perhaps he couldn't find his child in the murky icy water or loosen the seat belt.  He may have realized his son was already dead.  No one should judge or condem this father without walking in his shoes.
 @my2cents  @kramrÂ
Kramr is not judging or condemning the father. He is just stating how he might feel in similar circumstances.
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You read too much into posts.
@my2cents  """"No one should judge or condem this father without walking in his shoes."""""
that was NOT AT ALL my intent, My heart breaks for the father, as well as the rest of the family.Â
I was just making a personal comment as a parent
 @my2cents  @kramr I don't feel the posters were judging or condemning the father.  Rather, they were offering heart-felt sympathy and concern for the father/driver.  You are right, though, unless you are in a similar situation, you have NO idea what will go through your brain.  Hopefully no one else will ever have to go through it.
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This is why the first thing they tend to tell you in first aid is to only render aid after calling for help and then making sure the scene is secure. Â Using that "argument" the best decision of the father was to get to the side of the river and get someone to call 9-1-1 if they hadn't already. Â If he knew he couldn't get to his child or if he thought his son might have gotten free and made it to the side of the river, he was basically doing exactly what first aid training tells you to do.
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On the other hand, human nature would suggest he remain with his child -- no matter the cost. Â The other posters seem to be responding to this very natural call.
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No judgement here. Â Only a broken heart for the friends and family of this little guy and to his father for living his life with regret and second-guessing.
 @kramr I was thinking the same thing.
Complete tragedy! : (
Black ice can be treacherous...I wonder if that's what they hit.
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My condolences to the family for the loss of their child.
My condolences to the family and especially to the dad as he must live with this the rest of his life, we have buried a child and I know he is in for years of torment. Â I will say a prayer for them. Â I am so sorry for your loss. Â
I heard on another channel that the drivers son was in the passenger seat....he did not make it.
Too bad nobody had a camera cell phone. I heard somewhere that a picture is worth 1000 words.
@Lost River you really have some issues, the boy was 7 and was a very sweet boy.
 @Lost River oH yeah...a  1000 words and a dead child.  What an insensitive thing to say.
 @BCH mom  @Lost River No one knew anyone, let alone a child, had died in the accident at the time the original post was made.  I'm fairly sure of it.
 @whirledworld  @CTWU  @BCH mom  @Lost RiverÂ
Just a little head's up...Not everyone reads the news articles again, nor do they go back to their original postings. Some work, some travel, and some just choose not to be on the website for some time. Because a comment is not removed does not say that the person has insensitive feelings all the time, but sometimes there are different reasons.Â
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I'm not excusing Lost River's comment - just making an observation based on my own comings and goings on the website. I don't stay on here 24/7/365.Â
 @CTWU  @BCH mom  @Lost River and yet once th estory  was updated, that offensive and insensitive comment COULD ( and still can) be removed, IF the poster WANTED to remove it. The fact that it still remains speaks volumes.
 @Lost River please remove this comment as you can see from the update a child died in this accident. Thx.
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 @washcomom Check the update....how do you feel about your comment now?  Apology is needed.  Big time.
 @PD1202 The update happened AFTER my comment. Check the time stamp, and be nicer. Rudeness to me will not be tolerated.Â
 @Mikey I will do so - just because I am a person who does care what the family will think. Thanks, Mikey.
 @washcomom It happens sometimes that comments get ahead of the news story. We're all guilty of it.
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The nice thing is that we can delete those comments if necessary.
 @PD1202  @washcomom I really don't see how she needs to apologize for a comment made when this information was not available. The comment wasn't meanspirited in any way.
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I am quite sure she had no intention of poking fun at the death of a child.
 @washcomom  @WhenCowsAttack  @PD1202 Thx for deleting it.
 @washcomom  @WhenCowsAttack  @PD1202Â
Washcomom,
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We know you are being mean is not your style. You posted based on the information at the time.
 @WhenCowsAttack  @PD1202 Thanks you, WCA. There was minimal amount of information, and the time stamp has been changed on the article.Â
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In no way did I know about the boy's death. I am truly sorry for the loss of his life. I
I LOVE the posters who speak of their experience and are always bewildered when someone hasnt lived that experience Its so predictable yet it always amuses me. I'm going to do a google search to try and find what mental illness such posters are suffering from.
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@Manic Peddy most people learn from their experiences. Some become teachers and try to reach out and help the ignorant. google kindness
 @Lost River Manic Pedo is a troll.
I learned how to drive in the snow & ice of Eastern Oregon - before global warming - and spent years working on Mt. Hood as a sheriff and it never ceases to amaze me as to the morons that fail to slow down. Yea, I know all the 4x4 and AWD drivers actually believe they are exempt, but I saw them in the ditch all the time...
 @boned This is so true.  Drivers of pick up trucks tend to speed and pass me all the time when roads are treacherous.  Drivers of pick ups just will not admit  that their macho trucks are more unstable than cars.
Ahh I remember Real Winters here in the NW before GW. When I lived on Mt Hood we called those who did not know how to drive in the ice Flatlanders. And yes, as a Mechanic, a 4X4 or AWD will accellerate and maybe even corner faster than a 2 Whhel Drive but they Do Not Stop any better!
 @swede760Â
We still call them flatlanders.
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I had a guy pass me on a blind curve at 50mph in 6 inches of snow. He lost it and did about 3 360's and then slammed into a rock wall and slid into the ditch. I just kept driving past him. It was just too dangerous to stop in that area.
 @Mikey That is wisdom. Learn valuable lessons from other peoples mistakes.
 @RalphCramden Sometimes the sole purpose of someone is to serve as a warning to others.
I remember one time in Illinois I was driving my Dodge Polara when the rain was freezing as it hit the road surface. I was going down a slight incline very slowly, as I knew without a doubt that it was very slick, and my car lost traction and slid sideways! I was only going about 10 miles an hour, so I got it stopped halfway down, and straightened out , proceeded down the hill and across the bridge at the bottom with my heart in my throat the whole way!!! I had visions of getting stuck on the one-way bridge sideways across the end of it, with perhaps other vehicles coming down the incline at me, unable to stop! I got to where I was staying for the night with no further incident - but if I had been going faster, I might not have made it at all! I learned to drive slowly in such conditions in Oregon, so I was prepared.
@boned In Ohio, it was amazing at all the SUV/pick-up drivers who thought they had magical stopping power on both snow and ice.  Until they were proven sadly wrong on the latter.
 @bonedÂ
I have similar experience. Grew up in the Dakotas and Minnesota and moved to Alaska to get away  from the midwest summer heat.
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The worst drivers are the ones who have little or no experience and yet are somehow experts. Those are the ones passing me on black ice at 60mph while I am doing 40 and thinking I am going a little to fast.
 @RalphCramden  @boned "The worst drivers are the ones who have little or no experience"...
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Oh, the times I would drive as a teen (i.e., new driver) from SE Portland to pick my mom up from work along the Columbia River only to stop and pick her up and have her yell up and down a blue streak! Â Several times that driving was freeway speed on sleet (hey, it was falling as rain!).
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Fortunately the intelligent road systems we're getting along with cell phones and the resources they provide (when they work) should cut back on some of that but experience is the best educator. Â You just need to feel like you're losing control only one time (in a safe environment) and you'll learn your lesson.
 @CTWU  @bonedÂ
Yup, it's called experience. The only way to get that is time. That's why kids are not good drivers. Just not enough time on the road.
 @RalphCramden  @boned Yup, and even 40 might be a tad fast under some circumstances.  Why does such a propensity exist for *some* (not all of course) drivers of 4x4's and AWDs to drive too fast for slick conditions?  I owned cars like that and was always careful not to overdrive for conditions.  They fail to remember that the added traction is not mirrored on the 'braking' side of things (at least directly).
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If I'm in a situation where black ice *could* appear randomly/sporadically, I crack my window down so I can hear the noise of the tire on the road surface [I hear good ears] If it is water [not frozen], it make a typical louder 'sloshing' sound, when the ground looks dark and suddenly the road noise becomes very quiet, that is my signal to slow down and err on the caution and go into 'defensive' mode -- it has saved me from at least 2 collisions in my life so far.
 @MikeyÂ
I am always looking at those coming up behind me in bad conditions. If they are getting ready to pass me on the freeway I let them go right ahead. I want to be far behind them when they self destruct.
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Happy new year to you also.
 @RalphCramden Well, yeah Ralph...YOU never had a crash, but what about everyone else on the highway around you??? :-)
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Happy New Year!
 @ThePosterFormerlyKnownAsPhredE  @bonedÂ
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I also look at cars and see if they have spray coming from the back of the cars that indicate that it is water on the road versus ice. There is also a difference in the sheen of the roads. Ice reflects more lights that rain water.
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On ice I will drive faster if the road is straight and there isn't any other vehicles. If the road curves I drive much slower due to centrifugal force.
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In over 50 years of driving I have only had one accident. And 30 years of that was driving emergency vehicles with lights and sirens. That is high risk driving and I never had a crash.
 @ThePosterFormerlyKnownAsPhredE "Why does such a propensity exist for *some* (not all of course) drivers of 4x4's and AWDs to drive too fast for slick conditions?"
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The *some* have yet to experience the pucker factor...>!!<
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