News

BREAKING NEWS: Man drowns in Shiawassee River

By DOMINIC ADAMS

Thursday, September 18, 2008 8:26 PM EDT

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.

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.

Comment on this Story

Joe wrote on Sep 19, 2008 11:13 AM:

" Tragic. These "drowning machines" take lives fairly often, see: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/SafetyTips/Lowheaddams/tabid/2877/Default.aspx "

You are in our thoughts and prayers wrote on Sep 19, 2008 10:17 AM:

" Yes it is sad to hear what happened.

We offer our deepest sympathy to the family and we should also be offering a huge thank you to the fire and rescue and the local police for risking their life in trying to pull him out of the water. Anyone of them could of drowned trying to pull him out .

Nobody would of been there in that situation if better judgement had been used and I am sure that is what Officer Williams was trying to convey.

It was a stupid accident that should of never happened. "

Lifetime Corunna Man wrote on Sep 19, 2008 9:53 AM:

" First I would like to express my thanks to the Argus for putting this up on their site so fast instead of waiting until the next day..

Big Buck is right about the two that were lost in the mid 70s... One I believe was found after the water level went down just east of the park some time later...

My thoughts and prayers are with this family... "

how sad wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:56 AM:

" I understand that it had been on the news to stay away from the river due to sewage spilled in there from the harsh rains, but he (Officer Williams) almost had the attitude of "I told ya so." This apparently was a husband and a father and i am sure a tragic loss for his entire family....saying "I told ya so" is just plain mean and cold. My heart breaks for this family. I drove by on my way to the store and seen all the police there and hoped it wasnt anything bad, but it gives me chills to know now what happened. If his family reads this please know how sorry i am and that you will be in my thoughts and prayers. "

Big Buck of Roscommon wrote on Sep 19, 2008 4:07 AM:

" A couple of guys were lost there back in the mid 70's. They tried to shoot the dam in a rubber boat when the river was flooded. "