The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Division has begun its investigation into Monday morning’s drowning death of Boone County Fire Protection District assistant chief Matthew Tobben. Mr. Tobben drowned after rescuing two pedestrians stranded in Bear Creek floodwaters. Boone County Fire assistant chief Gale Blomenkamp tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that the Highway Patrol’s investigators have talked to two members of the team that were on-scene during Monday’s rescue. Mr. Blomenkamp tells listeners that the Missouri State Highway Patrol will look at the boat and the boat’s motor. He says it appears to be a tragic accident. Mr. Blomenkamp tells listeners that a procession will escort Mr. Tobben back to his hometown of eastern Missouri’s Union today. They’ll leave Columbia at about 10:15, going from Stadium to Highway 63 to eastbound I-70. They’ll travel to the Highway 47 exit in Warrenton, before heading to Union. Mr. Blomenkamp is encouraging public safety agencies to be present on I-70 and other highway overpasses with American flags. Assistant chief Tobben had been a member of Columbia-based Missouri Task Force One since 2012 and started with the Boone County Fire Protection District as training chief in May. Tobben previously spent 19 years with the fire department in eastern Missouri’s Union:
