Dad dies in same river two sons drowned in four years ago

(INSIDE EDITION) - An Illinois man died in the same river where his two sons died four years ago.

Jesse Bullock Sr., 37, died Thursday morning when his truck ran off the road and into the Edwards River near Moline, Ill., reports said.

His sons, Jesse Bullock Jr., 12, and Nic Bullock, 9, had died not far from the scene of the crash. They drowned four years ago while swimming in the river.

In 2013, the boys were reportedly wading in river when they fell into a deep 15-foot drop-off.

The dad told news outlets at the time that his sons had just wanted to cool off.

"It was an accident," he told WQAD. "We knew the risk of letting them go down there. We're country boys. A hot summer day, you go fishing, relax."

The couple's then-6-year-old son, Thomas, was also in the water, along with a cousin when the boys' accident occurred.

Bullock was a Navy veteran and volunteer firefighter with the Keithsburg Fire Department, according to his obituary.

He is survived by his wife Emily and children Savannah and Thomas.

The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

"The vehicle was in the stream, actually in the stream bed," said Mercer County Sheriff David Staley. "Ironic, I guess that it happened in the same location."