Man drowns in St. Francis River, others rescued

CAMPBELL — A Kennett man drowned in the St. Francis River Sunday evening while trying to cross the river with other family members near the Chalk Bluff Access.

Roger Dale Luttrull, 22, was pronounced at 8:01 p.m. at the scene, about four and a half miles west of Campbell, by Dunklin County Coroner James Powell.

Dunklin County officials, according to Sheriff Bob Holder, initially were alerted to the incident by the Clay County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Department.

“Upon receiving the call from Clay County, deputies from the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell Police Department and Campbell Fire and Rescue units, along with Medic One, were dispatched to the Chalk Bluff area,” Holder said in a news release.

“Upon arrival at the scene, emergency personnel observed two female subjects in the water in the east side of the river. Both females were holding on to tree branches,” Holder said.

Two males also were found sitting on the west bank of the river, Holder said.

Both females were rescued from the water, while the two males were brought across the river to a staging area.

According to Holder, three male members of the family attempted to cross the river when they reached an area with deeper water and strong current.

A surviving brother, Holder said, reported the water level had been low, and the trio could touch the bottom. However, as the three proceeded across the river, the brothers reached a drop off, where the current increased.

“The current began to carry them downstream. One of the brothers tried to grab the other brother; however, the current was too strong and one of the brothers went under water and was unable to resurface,” Holder’s release stated.

Several members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Division, Sgt. Clark Parrott said, also responded to the scene, where they used a boat and dragging equipment to locate Luttrull.

“I think they found him pretty much right where he went in,” said Parrott.