Oregon State Police troopers are continuing their investigation into a fatal New Year's Eve traffic crash near Mosier that killed a 7-year-old Clackamas boy.

Authorities say the crash happened around 4:20 p.m., when John G. Arntson, 40, of Clackamas, was driving a 2005 Toyota Tundra pickup westbound on I-84 near milepost 69 when he lost control on icy road conditions. The pickup crashed into a guardrail and continued over the railing down a rocky embankment into the Columbia River.

Arntson escaped the pickup but wasn't able to save his son, Jacob Roy Arntson.

An OSP trooper arrived on scene about five minutes later but the pickup was submerged and not visible, said an OSP spokesman, Lieutenant Gregg Hastings.

A dive team from Skamania County Sheriff's Office recovered the boy's body from the submerged pickup, located 20 yards from shore in about 40 feet of water, after 9:30 p.m.

The boy's father, a social studies teacher at Clackamas High School and head varsity coach of the Cavaliers Baseball team, was treated and released from a Hood River hospital.

The Arntson family released a statement thanking loved ones for their prayers and asking the media to let them to grieve in private.

"Dear friends, family, and all of you who have reached out to us in the Clackamas community and beyond. By now you might have heard that our beloved son and brother, Jacob Roy Arntson, died last night in a traffic accident east of Hood River. Jake was just 7 years old, but in those 7 years he brought so much light into our world and touched so many lives as a friend and classmate. He was a wonderful child, and we miss him so much.

We will be making arrangements through Bateman's Funeral Home, and will be setting up a fund in memory of Jake in the days ahead. We'll pass along those details soon."

A Facebook memorial page was set up Tuesday in Jake Arntson's name. Friends of the boy and his family attended an impromptu memorial at noon at the high school baseball diamond, where loved ones left trucks, cards, flowers and toys.



The crash blocked a westbound lane along the Interstate for about five hours.

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