News

Owosso man drowns in river

By DOMINIC ADAMS Argus-Press Staff Writer

Friday, September 19, 2008 10:37 AM EDT

Argus-Press Photo by Dominic Adams Members of the Corunna-Caledonia Fire Department pull the kayak of Charles M. Orgovan of Owosso 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.

CORUNNA - An Owosso man drowned in the Shiawassee River Thursday after he went over the Heritage Park Dam in a kayak.

Charles M. Orgovan, 32, died at Memorial Healthcare shortly after rescuers pulled his body from the east side of the river.

Williams said Orgovan was caught in the current just below the more than century-old concrete dam and emergency crews couldn't get to him until the river kicked him free.

Orgovan was unresponsive when rescuers from the Corunna-Caledonia Fire Department pulled him out of the water about 4:25 p.m.

Williams warned people to stay away from any dam. According to the National Weather Service, the Shiawassee River was at 6.25 feet at 1:15 a.m. Friday. Flood stage is 7 feet.

“That dam is never safe. There is no way you can go in there to get anyone out,” Williams said. “If you go in there, all you get is a body count.”

Williams said Orgovan was an emergency medical technician for Corunna Area Ambulance.

Lenora Acord said she ran down to Heritage Park Thursday after seeing ambulances and police driving down Shiawassee Street.

“I saw him [splashing] around,” she said. “I could hear him yelling and shortly after that he started floating face down.”

Acord said rescue crews first were on the west side of the river in the park, but had to go over to the east side of the river to get Orgovan.

Williams said Orgovan'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.

Wayne Fickes was doing some handy work outside Johnson & Sons Piano Co. when he saw the commotion.

Then he saw a partially submerged lime green kayak floating down the river.

“It was so waterlogged, I thought there was a body in there,” he said.

- Contact Dominic Adams at 725-5136 extension 239 or by e-mail at dadamsarguspress@gmail.com.

Comment on this Story

alex rasaiah wrote on May 23, 2009 11:26 PM:

" sorry consipated the message was to heartbroken, heart broken ur a faget and no one likes u so burn in hell for all the world cares "

alex rasaiah wrote on May 23, 2009 11:22 PM:

" watch what u say constipated ur talkin bout my mom, charles was my step dad ur just a faget no life why dont go die in a hole were u belong "

Constipated wrote on Mar 18, 2009 7:48 PM:

" I personally feel sad for Charel's death but to the comment"

Heartbroken wrote on Sep 23, 2008 10:28 PM:

" Tracy, to you and your family : My heart aches for your terrible loss. My family is sharing your grief and want you to know that you will be in every single prayer. I pray that God's peace totally surrounds you at this time. But if you really new the real tracy the evil pyhsico satin abusive "it" she doesn't deserve a sorry, she is the most devios person that you will ever meet, and if you lived with her she will probbably abuse you like she did Charles's only daughter that is 6 years old, and you will probbably want to kill her in the most painful way possible because I do, and I hope TRACY is reading this because noone likes you, or ever will, you the satin is only hated in the world and on one will ever accept you for the hideous thing you are. You may ask why i am calling her it or thing etc., it is because she doesn't deserve to be called anything else because that would be an insult to humans and FAT hippo's. "

Kathy wrote on Sep 29, 2008 3:38 PM:

" Those dams are always dangerous and need to be removed. "

Annonymous wrote on Sep 24, 2008 9:05 AM:

" It is just too bad that the Argus didn't cover the day of the funeral. My reason for saying this is just to show that there is a lot of support out there. If I counted correctly there were about 20 ambulances in the precession, and I would guess that EMS workers from around the state were way more than double that. My heart goes out to the family.
Rest is peace Charles. "

Heartbroken wrote on Sep 23, 2008 10:28 PM:

" Tracy, to you and your family : My heart aches for your terrible loss. My family is sharing your grief and want you to know that you will be in every single prayer. I pray that God's peace totally surrounds you at this time.

To everyone else: Have you no shame?!?! This family is going through enough right now...the least you could do is show moral support. What happened to Charles is very tragic and a terrible reminder that freak accidents do occur. I'm sure he didn't think anything bad would happen. He was a pretty smart & level headed man. A community needs to stick together & pray for the family of their lost loved one....at least do something to show you care! All I can say to you is what if it had been your husband, father, son, or anyone else dear to your heart.....think before you speak your mind because next time it could be you or your loved one. "

Damm dam wrote on Sep 23, 2008 7:46 AM:

" Mister mayor. Tear that dam down. Its always been a dangerous place. "

JillR wrote on Sep 23, 2008 2:51 AM:

" I am sure he didnt go kayaking to meet this end. That is a small dam that does not seem threatening, so it does serve as a warning, hopefully, to people who want to explore the rivers around here. So its not stupid, lets not be insensitive. Who would think that this could happen at such a small dam? He was an EMT and I am sure didnt think it was as hazardous as it wound up to be or he wouldnt have gone there.
I would hope that anyone nearby who heard yelling or saw splashing would jump in to try to pull him out. Otherwise, please keep insensitive comments to yourself. The family is going through enough. "

Riverman wrote on Sep 22, 2008 1:23 AM:

" The Mills boys died back in the 70's .. and as far as yelling, screaming and all that .. I for one am sick of everything having to be filtered because someone might shed a tear .. I want every horrible detail of this story to be posted. This guy did something incredibly stupid and not only did he lose his life but much worse his kids lost a father and for what? We all make mistakes but this was a collosal mis-step and my heart goes out to his family but I would rather see this prevented in the future by not sugar coating the events that took place. Hopefully someone will read about these terrifying events and think twice about jumping into a rain swolen river to get their kicks. "

Sick of made up stories wrote on Sep 21, 2008 6:50 PM:

" I am a little disappointed that a person (Lenora Acord) would make up such a story, and that the Argus would print it without checking facts of the responders who were clearly there before this person. I, being one of the initial people there, saw first hand and there was no time when he was splashing around or yelling. I can tell you that Corunna Ambulance had 2 ambulances in service, one of which was at the base and the other on that was at the corunna football field. The first ambulance went to Heritage park as it was dispatched to go to, and the second one left the game and went to the Brady St side of the river, then the first ambulace went to the Brady st side. There was only one fire personnel on the park side and he advised all responding fire and ems to go to the Brady st side, making most of the emergency crews go to the closest side.
I agree the the Argus could have left out the details of a neighbor who was there after the responders and apparently making up stories, in my opinion, just to see her name in the paper........ "

your wrong kim wrote on Sep 21, 2008 12:10 PM:

" Two men were lost there back in the 70's. "

me up north now and love it wrote on Sep 21, 2008 12:07 PM:

" At least one maybe two men drowned there back in 74 or 75. The guys shot the dam in a rubber boat when the river was flooded and pretty much the same thing happened. "

Melissa L. wrote on Sep 21, 2008 12:35 AM:

" Some details are better left not reported. As a friend it sickened me to have to read that he was "splashing around" and "yelling". "

Michael J. wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:43 PM:

" Did every horrifying detail of the death of Charles Orgovan really need to be reported? I'm sure that human tragedy sells more newspapers, but you can win my vote by showing a little more tact. "