Workers find body of man who allowed 10-year-old son to drive before crashing into canal

Summer Falls. From Stateparks.org



COULEE CITY -- The body of a 45-year-old Ephrata man was found  Monday, almost two months after a truck his 10-year-old son was driving during a father-son fishing trip went off the road and flipped into a canal near Summer Falls Dam, Grant County Sheriff’s Office officials said.


Irrigation district employees found the body of 45-year-old Scott Kolves not far from where the pickup truck Kolves and his three sons were riding went into the canal. Koves' 8-year-old son died as a result of the accident. His 10-and 12-year-old sons were rescued and survived.

Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones said 45-year-old Scott Kolves was fishing with his three sons on March 30 when he decided to teach his 10-year-old son how to drive. Kolves was in the passenger seat when he realized his son was heading off the road about 7 miles south of Coulee City. Jones said the loving father tried to correct the wheel, but it was too late and the truck ended up below in the canal.

Kolves and his 3 boys were ejected from the vehicle. Two fishermen saved Kolves’ eldest sons, and a sheriff’s deputy pulled out his 8-year-old boy further down the river. The 8-year-old later died at the hospital.

Jones said he decided to release the information that the boy was driving after more than a week of rumor and speculated circulated around the small community. He called the incident a “tragic accident” and a bonding, loving fishing trip gone wrong.

“Scott loved his sons,” Jones said. ” Everybody we talk to lets us know how much he loved his sons. Spending time with them — especially fishing — was the highlight of his life.”

The sheriff said no criminal charges would be filed in the crash. He asked the public refrain from judging Kolves’ decision to let his son drive, and keep in mind that he loved his sons.

“This was an accident,” he said. “Please care for the survivors and help them heal from this awful accident.”