Attorney to probe player's death Bigfork senior-to-be Jeffrey Bowman collapsed Aug. 13 during practice

By KRISTI ALBERTSON

The Daily Inter Lake

The Bigfork School District has hired an attorney to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a football player who collapsed last week.

Jeffrey R. Bowman, 17, died Aug. 20 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, one week after he collapsed and went into cardiac arrest while running laps during an evening practice.

The official cause of death has not been released. Superintendent Russell Kinzer said his understanding was that a "heart situation" contributed to Bowman's collapse.

Several people witnessed it, and many of them have different views of what happened, Kinzer said.

"Due to the difference in perceptions as to what occurred on the football field during this incident, I have decided to bring in an independent investigator who will be pursuing an investigation," he said.

The district has hired Elizabeth Kaleva, a Missoula attorney who specializes in school law. At one time, she was the Montana School Board Association's chief legal counsel, Kinzer said.

"She will perform a very comprehensive investigation," which will include reviewing statements from coaches and players who were on the field Aug. 13, he said.

Bowman was practicing even though he had not had a physical exam by a doctor, a Montana High School Association requirement for all students participating in athletic programs. It is unclear whether a routine physical could have turned up indications of any existing heart issues.

The coaches cautioned players about practicing without physicals, Kinzer said. Bowman continued to practice, but two players without physicals stepped off the field, he said.

Cheyne Valentine, a junior, said at least four players lacked the required physicals, and all of them participated in practice.

"No one was sitting out," he said. "My best friend was one of the ones without a physical, and he was practicing right next to me."

Valentine and his friend Garrett Pewe quit the team after Bowman collapsed.

Toward the end of the team's evening practice Aug. 13, the players split into two groups for conditioning laps, Valentine said. Bowman, who was in the first group, was halfway through his first lap when he dropped.

Valentine was in the second group, which started its lap after Bowman collapsed. When they began running, Bowman was still alone on the ground, he said.

"When we went around, that's when help started coming," Valentine said.

Two assistant coaches immediately began cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, Kinzer told the Inter Lake on Aug. 14. Valentine said their response was slow; he estimates Bowman lay unattended for about two minutes before the coaches reached him.

He and Pewe each submitted letters to Kinzer, describing what they remembered from that night.

Kinzer would not comment on the letters or on other versions he has heard of what took place Aug. 13.

"There were a lot of people on the football field that day - athletes, coaches, parents on the sidelines, young adults playing Frisbee," he said. "There were quite a few people involved, and all of them are going to have their own perception as to what happened."

With so many witnesses, the investigation could take awhile to complete, Kinzer said. He would not comment further on Kaleva's investigation.

"I'm on the direction of legal counsel not to respond to further inquiries," he said.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com