Man dies while fishing after being swept into a brook in New Hampshire, Marine Patrol says

By Arielle Mitropoulos

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    HUDSON, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A man, who was fishing in a brook on Sunday, is dead after being swept into the water in Hudson, authorities said.

New Hampshire State Police – Marine Patrol said police were called to the area around 9:25 a.m., Sunday, to Beaver Brook in the area of Sullivan Road, for a report that someone had fallen into the water and was missing.

Less than an hour later, John Coutu, 65, of Nashua, was found dead. Coutu was not wearing a life jacket when he was found.

Coutu’s friend, Bruce Goodwin, told News 9 that he did everything that he could to save his friend.

“I ran to my truck, I got the rope, I tried to save the guy, but I just couldn’t do it,” Goodwin said. “I go ‘Jay, Jay, where are ya?’ And I couldn’t hear him, so I back ran up the bank, and came over, and he came up under the pipe, and he was already [gone].”

Goodwin said that he had gone to help him get the fish he had caught, when Coutu was somehow swept away in the water.

“By the time I got there, it was already too late, he was floating down the water,” Goodwin said. “He was a good guy, and I really miss him, and God bless him, I’m sorry I couldn’t do much more, I tried. God knows I tried.”

People who are familiar with the area told News 9 that they have never seen the water this high, given all the rain that New Hampshire has received in the last week.

“The currents will take it. They’ll pull me right under. Honestly, that’ll pull me around. And I’ve been swimming, you know, in this brook since I was a kid,” said Joe Rosko, of Pelham, who grew up in the area.

Goodwin said that the intensity of the waters made it impossible for him to do more.

“It’s never like this here, never like this. Cause of all the rain we’ve had, and I told him that,” said Goodwin. “Never in my life has this ever happened. And boy, when it happens, it happens quick, so stay aware and do not go by a running current when it’s heavy like this.”

Investigators believe it was an accidental drowning, but all aspects of the incident remain under investigation, Marine Patrol said.

Anyone with information that may help with the ongoing investigation is asked to contact Sgt. Nicholas Haroutunian at Nicholas.M.Haroutunian@dos.nh.gov or 603-227-2112.

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