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Orem police suspect that a dead man whose body was pulled from the Provo River on Sunday may have drowned while intoxicated.
A fisherman spotted the body lying face down in 4-6 feet of water near the mouth of Provo Canyon around 1 p.m. Sunday. Orem police spokesman Lt. Doug Edwards identified the man as 51-year-old Thomas Stephen Bowers.
According to Edwards, evidence at the scene indicated recent alcohol consumption, and witnesses told police that Bowers often came to the area to drink.
An autopsy conducted on Monday showed that Bowers drowned, but did not indicate any traumatic injuries.
"At present, we suspect Bowers was intoxicated and accidentally fell into the canal while trying to cross it," Edwards said in a press release.
Police will have to wait for a toxicology report to confirm that suspicion, which could take more than two weeks.
Bowers was a homeless man who lived in a tent along the bike trail in Provo Canyon. He had been in the area for several years, supporting himself by collecting aluminum cans and other items to sell to recycling centers, Edwards said. He has relatives in Florida.
Bowers was well known in the area, and Edwards said officers recognized him immediately when they pulled him out of the water.
• Jeremy Duda can be reached at 344-2561 or
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