October 26, 2010
Maryland Heights hunter, 25, drowns in Mississippi
WEST ALTON . Authorities with the Missouri Water Patrol recovered the body of a missing hunter Monday night after dragging a section of the Mississippi River near Dresser Island.
Lou Amighetti of the Missouri Water Patrol identified the man as Kristopher Van Meter, 25, of Maryland Heights.
Van Meter and Shawn Griggs, 47, of O’Fallon, Mo., had gathered branches in a johnboat and were taking the branches to a duck blind when their boat started taking on water just before 2 p.m. Monday. As they started to sink, the men swam for shore, Amighetti said.
Griggs was able to get to shore, but he lost sight of Van Meter. The men were not wearing lifejackets, Amighetti said. He said the men were co-workers, but he did not know where they worked.