Search on hold for missing camper

PRIEST RIVER — The search has been temporarily suspended for a Kootenai County man who is suspected of drowning in the Priest River on Friday.

Bonner County Sheriff’s Lt. Ror Lakewold said the search for Donald Robert Maskell’s body is expected to resume later this week, depending on the clarity and speed of water flowing in the river. The recovery effort could also be pushed into next week.

“It looks like it’s still going up,” Lakewold said of the river’s flow.

Records kept by the U.S. Geological Survey confirm the observation.

The river’s discharge was gauged at 4,720 cubic feet per second on Monday afternoon, an increase of 320 cfs from Friday evening’s measurement, according to USGS records.

About a week prior to the mishap, the river’s discharge was clocked at 3,650 cfs, USGS records indicate.

Maskell, 43, was camping with his girlfriend and another friend several miles north of the city when he went into the water, sheriff’s officials said.

Initial accounts indicated Maskell was in the river, lost his footing and was swept downstream by the river’s currents.

However, Lakewold said it now appears that Maskell was standing on a fallen log which extended from the bank into the river.

“That’s where he either slipped off or jumped in to swim,” Lakewold said.

Maskell was last seen at about 6 p.m. and has not been found despite searches along the banks and in the river by Bonner County and North Idaho search-and-rescue teams.

Lakewold said there was alcohol consumption on the night in question, but said it remains unclear how much of a factor it played in the accident.