A High Ridge man’s body was recovered from the Meramec River two days after he fell into the water while fishing, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
Rickie L. Nolte, 64, fell into the river at 2:58 p.m. June 16 while fishing at the Allenton boat ramp south of Eureka. He was last seen floating on his back about 100 yards downstream of the ramp before his body submerged under the water, the report said.
Eureka Fire Protection District spokesperson William Stamberger said Nolte’s body was found at approximately 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, near the Route 66 boat ramp east of Eureka. He said firefighters were training in the area where the body was found, which was about 200 yards upstream from the boat ramp.
Nolte was floating face up near the right riverbank, according to the Highway Patrol report.
“When you have someone drowning, they could be close to the area or they could be miles away, so we were on the lookout for the body (during the training exercise),” Stamberger said. “They did end up coming across it, and we notified Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Marine Division.
“Our role in that was merely finding and identifying that it was a deceased person, and we facilitated getting the Missouri State Highway Patrol Marine Division officer to the body, secured it, and then towed it back to the boat dock, where it was left in their custody, pending investigation by medical examiners.”
The Fenton and Metro West fire protection districts also assisted during the search, the Highway Patrol reported.