Investigators believe kayaker drowned after becoming separated from kayak
The Dalles, Ore., Oct. 8, 2026 — The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office believes David Kalousdian drowned after becoming separated from his kayak, according to Sgt. Wahler, who said the circumstances suggest the manner of death was accidental.
There is no evidence to suggest foul play, drugs or alcohol were involved, Wahler said. The Medical Examiner is investigating Kalousdian’s cause of death.
Kalousdian was kayaking alone on Oct. 1 and launched from the Hood River Marina at about 1:30 p.m. the day of the incident. He intended to go fishing, Wahler said.
There were no witnesses who could confirm how Kalousdian ended up in the water. Others in the area reported seeing his kayak under power with nobody aboard. There also was a possible sighting of Kalousdian in the water near the kayak, but it could not be confirmed because of the distance from the person who reported it.
Investigators have considered several possibilities for how Kalousdian became separated from his kayak but cannot establish what happened. One possibility is that he reached behind himself to retrieve a fishing pole and lost his balance, Wahler said.
“It’s just a possibility,” Wahler said.
Kalousdian was wearing an inflatable life vest when he was recovered. The vest was properly fastened, which suggests he had put it on before entering the water, Wahler said.
The vest appeared to be in good condition but did not have a CO₂ cylinder installed. Without the cylinder, it would not have provided buoyancy.
The location where Kalousdian was recovered also was consistent with investigators’ understanding of where he may have entered the water.
Initial reports placed the kayak just upstream of the spit, nearly to its northern tip. Kalousdian’s body was recovered in shallow water on the west side of the sandbar, near where kiteboarders launch.
Wahler said that area was considered a high-probability location for recovery based on where investigators believe Kalousdian entered the water. The current likely would have carried a body around the northern tip of the sandbar and into an eddy on the western side.
The Sheriff’s Office has concluded its role in the death investigation and forwarded its reports to the Medical Examiner.
Wahler said he could not speak for the Medical Examiner or comment on the specific steps being taken in the investigation.
Wahler said community members described Kalousdian as active and fit, particularly considering his age.
The circumstances that led to Kalousdian becoming separated from his kayak remain unknown. The Sheriff’s Office found no evidence of foul play, and the Medical Examiner’s determination of the cause of death remains pending.
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