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The man who drowned in the Missouri River near Hardy Creek Saturday afternoon has been identified as 68 year old Jerry Pohlman of Helena.

Pohlman was a professor of Economics and chair of the Business, Accounting, and Economics Department at Carroll College.

According to Fire Chief Kendall Kalnbach of the Cascade Volunteer Fire Department, Pohlman and three others were rafting near Tower Rock State Park at around 3:30 Saturday when their raft hit a column on the I-15 bridge and capsized.

None of the occupants in the raft were wearing life jackets.

Three of the rafters made it out of the water, but Pohlman apparently hit his head on a rock and drowned.

Crews were able to pull him out about 1/8 mile down the river, where he was pronounced dead on scene.

The other occupants were treated for possible hypothermia by Great Falls Emergency Services.

Mercy flight, Cascade Fire, Cascade County Search and Rescue, I-15 QRU and Fish and Game were also dispatched to the accident.

Alcohol was not a factor in the drowning.

(First Report) A Helena man drowned in the Missouri River near Hardy Creek on Saturday afternoon while on a rafting trip.

According to Fire Chief Kendall Kalnbach of the Cascade Volunteer Fire Department, a 63-year-old man and three others were rafting near Tower Rock State Park.

Around 3:30 PM, the raft hit a column on the I-15 bridge and capsized.

None of the occupants in the raft were wearing life jackets.

Three of the rafters made it out of the water, but the man apparently hit his head on a rock and drowned.

Crews were able to pull him out about 1/8 mile down the river, where he was pronounced dead on scene.

Mercy flight, Cascade Fire, Cascade County Search and Rescue, I-15 QRU and Fish and Game were all dispatched to the accident.

No names have been released.