05:17 PM MDT on Wednesday, June 28, 2006

EMMETT -- A Middleton teenager is presumed drowned after playing a dangerous game in canal near Emmett.

Troy Colson-KTVB

Gem County Sheriff's deputies say 19-year-old Jose Perez failed to come out of this canal tunnel near Emmett, which runs about a quarter mile underground.

Gem County authorities say 19-year-old Jose Perez and two friends went for a thrill ride yesterday afternoon in a tunnel in the Black Canyon canal. The tunnel stretches for nearly a quarter mile and offers less than a foot of air space above the water line.

Three men went into the tunnel, but Perez didn't come out the other side.

The two friends looked for Perez for about 30 minutes before calling for help.

Gem County Sheriff’s deputies searched until sunset last night but were not able to locate Perez.  They resumed the search this morning, but have not found any signs of Perez.

“People have been coming up, particularly this area for quite some time, it's very dangerous, it's not a recreation area,” said Lt. Jim Barnhart, Gem County Sheriff's Office. “People keep coming up here, it's mostly no trespassing. Very dangerous place to come, you never know what's in that water, there can be any number of sharp objects - cars, wire fencing, sharp objects, sticks, logs - things can catch you get hung up. It's not the same as the river, it's very dangerous. Lot of people have lost their lives in it.”  

The canal tunnel is located just outside of Emmett near South Slope Road.