The deceased has been identified as 23-year-old William Lewis Hogg of Battle Ground, Washington.
At 1550 hours of August 24th, 2022 Cowlitz 911 received a call of a male subject who had not resurfaced after jumping into the Toutle River near Castle Rock, Washington.
Deputies and fire department personnel responded to the scene, which was determined to be near Toutle River Rd.
The Cowlitz Dive Team responded to search the river, assisted by deputies, Fire District 6, Castle Rock Police, and a Longview Police drone. The search continued until about 2100 hours and was resumed the following morning.
At about 1400 hours of August 25th, 2022, divers were able to locate and recover the body of the missing subject.
The deceased has been identified as 23-year-old William Lewis Hogg of Battle Ground, Washington. Hogg’s family and friends were on scene during the search and assisted in his recovery.
Per the investigating deputy, Hogg had jumped into the Toutle River from a cliff approximately 50 feet above the river. Hogg reportedly struck the surface of the water with his head and chest after doing a front flip.
The coroner’s office has taken custody of the body for further examination to determine the cause of death.
