The body of William Lewis Hogg, 23, was recovered from the Toutle River on Thursday afternoon
A Battle Ground man has died after a cliff diving accident in Cowlitz County Wednesday.
At about 3:50 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 24), Cowlitz County 9-1-1 dispatchers received a call of a male subject who had not resurfaced after jumping into the Toutle River near Castle Rock. Deputies and fire department personnel responded to the scene, which was determined to be near Toutle River Road.
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 9 p.m. and was resumed Thursday morning. At about 2 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 25), divers were able to locate and recover the body of the missing subject.
The deceased male was identified as 23-year-old William Lewis Hogg of Battle Ground. 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.
Information provided by Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
Also read:
- Opinion: Were Republican voters just sleeping during the August primary election?
CCRP Chairman Matt Bumala says 60% of primary no-shows in the 17th and 18th districts were Republicans. - High school football: New coach prepares for long-term success at Prairie High School
James Young-Lewis, a Clark County native who graduated from Evergreen in 2009, became Prairie’s head coach in May after working as an assistant coach across various programs since 2015, joining Prairie’s staff in 2024. - Cost to battle 20 wildfires in WA has topped $200M
Twenty wildfires have cost Washington $207M in one month, more than two-thirds of what DNR spent all last fiscal year. - Opinion: WA Cares’ launch showcased care WA Cares did not provide
Gov. Ferguson showcased a caregiving arrangement at the WA Cares launch that the program had not paid for a single day of. - Former State Rep. Liz Pike provides update on husband Neil Cahoon
Neil Cahoon, a Camas resident, has undergone multiple surgeries including five on Aug. 15 after the Aug. 10 crash near La Center’s Daybreak Airport. - Opinion: Portland’s War on Cars Part 4 – A smarter automobile strategy to end gridlock
O’Toole argues fuel wasted in Portland-area congestion has sextupled since 1982, generating 250,000 tons of extra greenhouse gases annually. - $1,000 first prize for Camas Plein Air Art Event honoring Marquita Call on Sept. 26
Plein air artists compete Sept. 26 in Camas for $1,000 first prize honoring gallery founder Marquita Call.
