A man from Missouri is dead following a kayaking accident in Page County over the holiday weekend. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says despite efforts to save him, 38-year old Jerrimiah Bryant Smiley, of Maryville, Missouri, died Friday at the Clarinda Regional Health Center.

Authorities received a 9-1-1 call at around 10:30-a.m. Friday, with regard to a man who drowned at the low head dam on the Nodaway River, on the east side of the Clarinda City limits. When emergency personnel arrived the man (Smiley) was out of the water, but CPR was in progress by another adult male that had been kayaking with.

An investigation determined Smiley and 33-year old David Medley, also of Maryville, MO., had been kayaking southbound on the West Nodaway River north of Clarinda, from where they had camped. Smiley and Medley were kayaking from the Villisca, area to Maitland, MO. The trip had been planned to span several days.

The men were sitting on top of their kayaks when they came to the low head dam on the east side of Clarinda. Smiley went over the dam first. He was thrown off his kayak. Medley was immediately behind Smiley and he was also thrown off his kayak. Both Smiley and Medley were wearing life preservers. Smiley got caught in the undertow on the south side of the dam. Medley was swept down river.

Medley saw that Smiley was unable to get out of the undertow and got to the bank. He then ran back to the dam, entered the water and attempted to get Smiley out of the undertow. Smiley had gone under several times at this point. Medley was again was washed downstream by the current. He then went back to try to get Smiley from the undertow. Smiley then went under and Medley was washed downstream.

Medley located a container with his cell phone floating from the kayak that was used to stow all their supplies and called 911. Smiley surfaced downstream from the dam and Medley got him out of the water. Medley then began to perform CPR. It was at this time Emergency personnel arrived on the scene and transported Smiley to the hospital, where efforts to save him were unsuccessful.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Clarinda Police Department, the Clarinda Fire Department, and the Clarinda Ambulance service.