A rural Arkansas City man was found dead Tuesday morning following an hours-long search east of Silverdale, after deputies discovered his truck still running near a watershed.
According to the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched around 2:45 a.m. to the area of 151st Road for a reported missing person.
When they arrived, they located a pickup belonging to John Kanelakos, of rural Arkansas City, still running at the scene. Kanelakos was not immediately located.
During the initial search, deputies found a pair of boots near the water’s edge, prompting concerns he may have entered the water.
Arkansas City Fire/EMS responded and deployed boats into the watershed as the search expanded. Additional resources were brought in, including canine units, mounted search teams and a dive team from the Augusta Department of Public Safety. Continue below ad.
At approximately 10:30 a.m., members of the dive team located Kanelakos deceased in the water.
Preliminary findings indicate Kanelakos may have entered the water in an attempt to rescue a calf, according to the sheriff’s office.
The investigation remains ongoing. An autopsy has been ordered.
Tragically, the death comes nearly two years to the date of another family loss — his daughter, Sarah Ouellet, died May 11, 2024, in a drowning while saving her child.
