Local man drowns in Palisades Reservoir after canoe overturns

Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday recovered the body of a man who drowned in the Bear Creek Drainage of the Palisades Reservoir on Saturday night

Dispatch received a call just before 11 p.m. on Saturday advising four people in a canoe had overturned and only three of them made it out of the water.

Deputies responded to the area along with Idaho Falls Ambulance, Swan Valley Fire, Air Idaho Rescue, and the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office Dive Rescue and Drone Team.

Witnesses advised deputies none of the occupants in the canoe were wearing life jackets and identified the missing man as 25-year-old Damion Pavlat, of Idaho Falls.

A search ensued on the ground and from the air for several hours through the night by rescue personnel, resuming in the daylight hours. By mid-morning, Divers located Pavlat in the water approximately 13 feet under the surface using sonar equipment and were able to recover his body.

Deputies are continuing to investigate, and no further information is available at this time.