Former Boyceville man drowns in Red Cedar River

On Monday, July 25, 2016 at 4:02 PM the Dunn County Communications Center received a report of a male who had possibly drowned in the Red Cedar River at the Downsville Boat Landing in the Town of Dunn.

The adult male was unconscious and was not breathing when found in the water near the boat landing. CPR was started by people who had gotten out of the river at the landing at the end of their tubing trip.

Dunn Counties Deputies, Menomonie Ambulance and Mayo One Helicopter were dispatched to the scene.

It was learned that the victim had gone into the river at the landing with a tube to try to assist a group of tubers that had gone by the take out point at the landing.

The victim was transported to Mayo-Eau Claire Hospital by Mayo One Helicopter. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The victim has been identified as Gene Wayne Palmer, age 74, from Grand Junction, Colorado. He was originally from rural Boyceville, WI and spent summers in Dunn County. The Dunn County Medical Examiner advised after further investigation it appears that the victim collapsed into the water after suffering a medical event.

The incident remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office.