Fort Hall Death Ruled Accidental

The Fort Hall police said a local man whose body was pulled from a stream on the Fort Hall Bottoms on Sunday likely died of accidental drowning.

Fort Hall Police Chief Pat Teton said examinations of the body of Clint Ballard, 45, of Fort Hall, showed he suffered a broken neck and head injuries indicative of diving into shallow water. However, the medical examiner said Ballard died from drowning.

Ballard?s shoes and shirt were also in his vehicle nearby and it appears that he was alone at the time of the incident, said Teton. A toxicology report has been ordered to determine if alcohol might have been a factor in his death.

Police are continuing their investigation, but at this point are ruling his death accidental.

Teton cautioned people swimming in the Fort Hall Bottoms area to avoid diving headfirst due to the shallow waters and unpredictable currents.