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Local residents die in rafting accident
By Holly Cook
When state officials warn rafters to avoid the river if there’s high-water flow, they are trying preventing accidents like the one July 7 that claimed the lives of two Arapahoe County residents.
The Arkansas River was flowing 590 cubic feet a second faster than usual in a section called “The Numbers” when Jimmy Nakama, 40, of Littleton and Thomas Spicknall, 36, of Centennial, were thrown from the boat.
The rafters lost control of the boat almost immediately upon entering the water, according to Chaffee County investigators.
An unconscious Spicknall was pulled from the water and CPR was immediately performed. Nakama was found 7 miles downstream after fellow rafters David Buckley of Franktown and Abigail Dodson of Englewood rowed the boat and Spicknall to shore.
The four rafters were co-workers at Emergency Medical Services Corp. in Greenwood Village but only Buckley was an experienced rafter.
Buckley told investigators that he had more than 25 years of experience and had rafted “The Numbers” of the Arkansas River numerous times.
Nakama is survived by his wife, Gretchen, and two children, Emmitt, 12, and Eva 9.
A soccer and baseball coach, Nakama was born in Littleton and graduated from the University of Colorado.
Both men worked in information technology at the Emergency Medical Services Corp.
Nakama had been there for 12 years and Spicknall for eight years, according to EMSC public relations manager Doug Moore.
The Arkansas River was flowing 590 cubic feet a second faster than usual in a section called “The Numbers” when Jimmy Nakama, 40, of Littleton and Thomas Spicknall, 36, of Centennial, were thrown from the boat.
The rafters lost control of the boat almost immediately upon entering the water, according to Chaffee County investigators.
An unconscious Spicknall was pulled from the water and CPR was immediately performed. Nakama was found 7 miles downstream after fellow rafters David Buckley of Franktown and Abigail Dodson of Englewood rowed the boat and Spicknall to shore.
The four rafters were co-workers at Emergency Medical Services Corp. in Greenwood Village but only Buckley was an experienced rafter.
Buckley told investigators that he had more than 25 years of experience and had rafted “The Numbers” of the Arkansas River numerous times.
Nakama is survived by his wife, Gretchen, and two children, Emmitt, 12, and Eva 9.
A soccer and baseball coach, Nakama was born in Littleton and graduated from the University of Colorado.
Both men worked in information technology at the Emergency Medical Services Corp.
Nakama had been there for 12 years and Spicknall for eight years, according to EMSC public relations manager Doug Moore.
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