An 18-year-old Akron man is dead after drowning at West Branch State Park Friday afternoon.
Portage County Sheriff David Doak said the incident could have quickly become a double drowning because the victim, who could not swim, tried to pull one of the girls he was swimming with under the water.
David Stoneking and two female teenagers were swimming at the state park’s beach, near the border of Charlestown and Paris townships, when Stoneking disappeared beneath the surface of the Michael J. Kirwan Reservoir at about 1:30 p.m.
John Wilder, manager of West Branch State Park, released a statement saying divers from the Portage County Water Rescue Team had located Stoneking’s body in 22 feet of water at about 5 p.m.
Witnesses said the teens were trying to swim from a point near the beach across a shallow cove to another point on the water’s edge. The area is not a designated swimming area and has a steep drop off — something that Stoneking might not have known when he went into the water, Doak said.
“He was pulling her under,” Doak said. “It was fortunate that she got away. As bad as it was, it could have been a double drowning.”
After escaping from Stoneking’s grasp, the female swam to shore and flagged down another car in the parking lot, whose occupants called for help.
Tom Decker, an investigator with the Portage County Coroner’s Office, said an autopsy on Stoneking would be performed by the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Decker said the water temperature was between 50 and 60 degrees. It was raining hard at the time, Doak said.
Doak said the girls probably were not aware that Stoneking could not swim.
Authorities searched by boat first before sending three divers into the water.
The man’s family had been notified and was en route to the park by 3:30 p.m.
Metro Life Flight landed at the park at about 2 p.m. and was on standby until the helicopter left at 3:30.
__________________
The flag does not fly because of the wind that blows it. The flag flies because each soldiers' last breath blows by it! Thank a Vet!
Isn't that article from last year? Yesterdays drowning involved a capsized boat and three gentlemen one a 14yr old who swam to safety.
The beach swimmers drowning posted above was from last year.
Isn't that article from last year? Yesterdays drowning involved a capsized boat and three gentlemen one a 14yr old who swam to safety.
The beach swimmers drowning posted above was from last year.
That story is actually nearly two years old. Stoneking drowned in May of 09.
This morning's Record Courier said a boat went down at WB..A 14 year old boy swam to shore and had someone make a cell phone call..Two men were still in the boat..Then it said a young man found one of the others in the water..The County Coroner's office said there were no reports of any deaths related to the incident as of 10 p.m. Sunday night..Search for the missing man was called off at 10:30 p.m... The search was to resume this morning..As I read the newspaper article one man was rescued and one is still missing...Should have never been on the lake with the high winds out there..Hope for the best but it does not look good....Rangerjulie will be able to tell us more I am sure.....JIM....CL....
__________________ ...Live For Today...Yesterday Is Gone Forever...And Tomorrow May Never Come...
I hope everything turns out for the best but that does not sound good. people need to use a little common sense with the weather though. yesterday was no day to be out on the water. even if they had life jackets, that doesnt help with the cold water
I was on West Branch from about 1:30 - 5 PM yesterday. The waves in the main part of the lake were some of the worst I've seen @ Kirwan - about 3 - 3 1/2 feet. I remarked to my fishing buddy I was glad to have my 19.5' cabin cruiser and not a small fishing boat.
I didn't see anyone in distress or anything out of the ordinary... but because of the conditions I wasn't all over the lake either. I launched at the camp grounds, zipped across to by the swim beach, then headed back to Jay lake.
That's gonna be ever so hard for that young boy to get over, knowing his father drowned and he couldn't help. I really feel for the youngster and the family!
__________________
"Fish Control My Brain" Snake
"If everyone concentrated on the important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles!!"
That's gonna be ever so hard for that young boy to get over, knowing his father drowned and he couldn't help. I really feel for the youngster and the family!
X2
Something the young man will never forget. My thoughts and prayers to the families of all involved.
It was just over a year ago that I helped recover a man that was found at Mogadore. He had no life jacket. Please use your brain fishing this time of year guys! The water is still too cold out there!
Something the young man will never forget. My thoughts and prayers to the families of all involved.
It was just over a year ago that I helped recover a man that was found at Mogadore. He had no life jacket. Please use your brain fishing this time of year guys! The water is still too cold out there!
That's why I stayed away from boating yesterday. Such a sad story.
Agreed! Even with a life jacket, hypothermia will set in pretty quickly.
__________________
All warfare is based on deception
That's why I stayed away from boating yesterday. Such a sad story.
Agreed! Even with a life jacket, hypothermia will set in pretty quickly.
I believe they say you have a 50/50 shot of lasting 15 minutes in water 50 degrees or below. I snagged a Mustang automatic PFD over the winter to wear when I'm alone and the water is cold.
This was a TRAGEDY. Three guys in a 14 foot boat, 3 foot waves, no lifejackets - two lost their lives. PLEASE, check the conditions BEFORE you go out and WEAR your lifejacket.
This morning's Record Courier said a boat went down at WB..A 14 year old boy swam to shore and had someone make a cell phone call..Two men were still in the boat..Then it said a young man found one of the others in the water..The County Coroner's office said there were no reports of any deaths related to the incident as of 10 p.m. Sunday night..Search for the missing man was called off at 10:30 p.m... The search was to resume this morning..As I read the newspaper article one man was rescued and one is still missing...Should have never been on the lake with the high winds out there..Hope for the best but it does not look good....Rangerjulie will be able to tell us more I am sure.....JIM....CL....
Guys, this is the kind of work I hate to do. I was on the boat with the sonar and ROV and we found the young man in 24' of water at about 1pm. So many things went wrong about this tragedy that should have never happened. First, the weather was not good for boating of any kind let alone in a 14' bass boat. The wind threw the waves up to 3 feet, and within minutes of launching their boat took on water. Second, they should have been wearing their lifejackets. The young man we recovered today would have had a chance if he had worn one. Then last, it was reported that they launched at around 6pm last night - too late to be going out on a boat during rough weather. I ask each and every one of you to please be safe, wear your lifejacket and check the conditions before going out. I would rather see you guys out there pulling in a big one than me having to pull you out of the water. Fish Safe.
drowning at wb today
drowning at wb today
...Live For Today...Yesterday Is Gone Forever...And Tomorrow May Never Come...
~It's not that the fish was small, just that the distance between its head and tail wasn't very much-Bill Dance~
Linear Mode
