Be careful out there

The sad news out of the Bitterroot this weekend is the death of guide Dave Dedmon. Dave was floating the East Fork of the Bitterroot on Sunday with his wife Sharon when their boat hit a sweeper and flipped. Dave suffered a head injury in the accident and drown.

There's more from the Ravalli Republic here.

I first met Dave about 15 years ago when he first came to the Bitterroot to work as a deputy with the Ravalli County Sheriff's department. The hook was that Dave was teamed with Rocky, a drug sniffing German shepherd police dog. Dave and Rocky formed the first K-9 unit in the Bitterroot. Later Dave and Rocky went to work for the Hamilton police department. I was just a cub reporter back then, still new to newspapering at the Ravalli Republic. The feature I wrote about Dave and Rocky was one of the first of my career.

More recently Dave was an unsuccessful candidate for the GOP nomination for county commissioner in Ravalli Country. I spoke to him shortly before the election and we joked a bit about what he was getting himself into, and, of course, if he really want the job. We both knew what a headache that job can be. But for as long as I knew him, Dave was dedicated to public service.

Dave was no doubt scouting the East Fork for the trips he had booked this week and next. I work as a guide and Dave had hired me to help out on those trips. I would have been on the water Sunday myself, but I had my kids with me and decided to wait until conditions improved.

Our condolences to Dave's wife Sharon and his family. Dave was a good man. I was pulling for him on election day.