Thursday, September 18, 2008
News
BREAKING NEWS: Man drowns in Shiawassee River
Argus-Press Photo By Dominic Adams Members of the Corunna-Caledonia Fire Department pull the waterlogged kayak of an unidentified man from the Shiawassee River Thursday evening. Corunna Police Chief Kim Williams said rescue workers pulled the man from the flooded-out river below the Heritage Dam. Police did not release the condition or name of the man as of 5:30 p.m.
By DOMINIC ADAMS
Argus-Press Staff Writer
CORUNNA - A 32-year-old Owosso man drowned in the Shiawassee River Thursday afternoon after going over the Heritage Dam in a kayak.
Corunna Police Chief Kim Williams said late Thursday he would not release the man's name until the family is notified.
Williams said the man was pulled motionless from the eastside of the river after he was kicked free of the dam.
The man was pronounced dead at Memorial Healthcare after rescuers from the Corunna-Caledonia Fire Department pulled his unresponsive body from the river about 4:25 p.m., Williams said.
Williams warned people to stay away from the flooded river and dam.
"There is no way you can go in there to get anyone out," he said. "If you go in there all you get is a body count."
Lenora Acord said she ran down to the dam when she saw ambulances and police driving down Shiawassee Street.
“I could hear him yelling, and shortly after that he started floating face down,” she said.
Williams said the man's wife and children watched from the west side of the river as he struggled against the current and was later pulled out.
The last fatality at the dam was in 1965, he said.
The Argus-Press first published this story online at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, updated it at 7:20 p.m. and again at 8:25 p.m. Read Friday's edition of The Argus-Press for updates.
CORUNNA - A 32-year-old Owosso man drowned in the Shiawassee River Thursday afternoon after going over the Heritage Dam in a kayak.
Corunna Police Chief Kim Williams said late Thursday he would not release the man's name until the family is notified.
Williams said the man was pulled motionless from the eastside of the river after he was kicked free of the dam.
The man was pronounced dead at Memorial Healthcare after rescuers from the Corunna-Caledonia Fire Department pulled his unresponsive body from the river about 4:25 p.m., Williams said.
Williams warned people to stay away from the flooded river and dam.
"There is no way you can go in there to get anyone out," he said. "If you go in there all you get is a body count."
Lenora Acord said she ran down to the dam when she saw ambulances and police driving down Shiawassee Street.
“I could hear him yelling, and shortly after that he started floating face down,” she said.
Williams said the man's wife and children watched from the west side of the river as he struggled against the current and was later pulled out.
The last fatality at the dam was in 1965, he said.
The Argus-Press first published this story online at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, updated it at 7:20 p.m. and again at 8:25 p.m. Read Friday's edition of The Argus-Press for updates.