James Meeks

Sheriff Jim Meeks suffered a fatal heart attack after rescuing inner tube raft floaters who were stuck under the Laurel Highway Bridge on the Yellowstone River in Laurel.

During the Yellowstone River Boat Float around 2:15 p.m., Sheriff Meeks was notified that two floaters, who were not wearing life vests, were stuck in logs and branches under the bridge. Sheriff Meeks and two other rescue personnel maneuvered the rescue boat upstream to their location. Once they were close by, they used pocket knives to untangle the raft from the river brush. Once the rafters put on life vests, they were pulled out and towed back to shore. When the boat reached land, Sheriff Meeks collapsed. He was transported to St. Vincent's Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Sheriff Meeks was a United States Navy World War II and Korean War veteran who had served with the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office for nine years. He had served as sheriff for a year and a half.

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.