Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man swept away in the Snake River near Idaho Falls as John Green, 54, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Green was in the area to attend a business seminar when the incident occurred Thursday afternoon.
According to authorities, Green was standing along the riverbank near the Broadway Bridge with a co-worker when he lost his footing and fell into the river. Despite extensive search efforts, Green had not been located as of Sunday, marking the fourth day of operations.
Multi-Agency Search Underway
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating the search alongside the Idaho Falls Police Department and Idaho Falls Fire Department. Teams have been working a stretch of the Snake River from above the Broadway Bridge downstream to South Tourist Park, deploying a combination of drone teams, sonar technology, and surface crews operating from both boats and the riverbank.
Officials confirmed the search would continue and urged members of the public to keep their distance from active search areas so crews can work without interference.
Community Asked to Stay Clear
The Snake River draws visitors and residents to its banks throughout the warmer months, but the current is capable of quickly overpowering even experienced adults. In this case, Green had no apparent connection to the Idaho Falls area beyond the professional event he was attending, making the incident a stark reminder of the hazards the waterway poses to those unfamiliar with its conditions.
The search is among the more resource-intensive river recovery operations the area has seen, with multiple agencies and specialized equipment deployed across several days. Sonar equipment is particularly valuable in the Snake River, where visibility underwater is often limited and current patterns can carry a person significant distances from the original entry point.
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has not provided a timeline for how long the search will continue, but as of the most recent update from authorities, operations remain active. The public is asked to report any relevant information to law enforcement and to avoid interfering with search crews along the riverbank between Broadway Bridge and South Tourist Park.
Green’s family has been notified. No further identifying information about next of kin or local contacts was released by the sheriff’s office.
What Comes Next
Search teams from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Falls Police, and Idaho Falls Fire Department are expected to continue operations along the affected stretch of the Snake River. Drone units, sonar, and surface teams will remain deployed as long as the search is deemed viable by incident commanders. Residents and visitors are asked to stay away from the search zone to allow crews to work safely and efficiently. Anyone with information that may assist in the search is encouraged to contact the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office directly.
For more on public safety and law enforcement developments in the Idaho Falls area, including a recent criminal case involving a federal judge in Idaho Falls, visit Bonneville County News for continuing coverage of local legal and safety matters.