diverdriver 5 #1 July 11, 2005 I found this news article. Anyone have any info or has this already been posted? http://www.pjstar.com/stories/071105/POL_B6USQ9R7.045.shtml QuoteMonday, July 11, 2005 Joliet man drowns in Ottawa pond OTTAWA - A Joliet man was pronounced dead at Ottawa Community Hospital after being pulled from a pond near Skydive Chicago on Saturday night. William A. Martin, 20, was playing volleyball with friends when he decided to go for a swim in the nearby pond, according to the LaSalle County Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff's Department, Ottawa EMS and River Rescue responded to the scene. The death remains under investigation by the LaSalle County Coroner's Office and the Sheriff's Department. This is the second drowning in two weeks in Ottawa. Last week a Chicago man drowned in the Illinois River near Starved Rock State Park. Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #3 July 12, 2005 I wasn't out there this past weekend, but I made some calls after I saw your post. Its true. The following is what I was told: The young man apparently made a tandem out at SDC a couple of weeks ago and was back on Saturday for a canoe trip on the river. Afterwards, he must have gone swimming on his own and when his friends realized he hadn't come back, there was a brief search. A staff member found him, pulled him from the water and began CPR. He had a pulse when the ambulance took him away, but was pronounced dead at the hospital. It was a tragic accident. There are signs posted at the pond reminding people to swim at their own risk as there is never a life guard on duty. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #4 July 12, 2005 That's sad. He's going to miss out on so many more parties yet to come. At least he got to do one tandem.Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeth 0 #5 July 12, 2005 I was there at SDC, but not by the pond when it happened. But according to someone who was -- The guy was there to canoe. But I was told he was swimming with friends when he suddenly went under. His friends called manifest and Donovan and others came out. They resuscitated him and he was alive when the ambulance left. (But people were worried about his condition because he'd been down for awhile.) Just tragic. Such a young person. "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #6 July 12, 2005 Well said. He died living. Having a good time.Blue skies to him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #7 July 12, 2005 Thanks- you probably got the story a little better than I did. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #8 July 12, 2005 Its one thing to say that about a skydiver who goes in. This guy hopped in the pond to cool off on a hot day and he drowned. To me that's senseless and tragic. No one's fault, but tragic just the same. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #9 July 12, 2005 Yes very tragic. I didn't know what/how to say.It's so sad that it happened. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #10 July 12, 2005 Does anyone know why he "went under" & drowned? Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,635 #11 July 12, 2005 QuoteDoes anyone know why he "went under" & drowned? That will have to wait for the autopsy, but the speculation I heard was that he had over-exerted after canoeing, playing volleyball, and then swimming on a pretty hot day.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 7 #12 July 12, 2005 QuoteIts one thing to say that about a skydiver who goes in. This guy hopped in the pond to cool off on a hot day and he drowned. To me that's senseless and tragic. No one's fault, but tragic just the same. People say dying while skydiving is sensless and tragic. They are also correct. Anyone that dies is tragic, at least he died while having fun, not in a car bomb, accident ect."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
outlawphx 1 #13 July 12, 2005 Aren't swoop ponds usually pretty shallow? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hexadecimal 0 #14 July 12, 2005 SDC has 2 ponds... the pond I'm assuming he was in was the deeper pond which as far as I know wasn't put there for swooping. Depressing news... I remember seeing some kids playing volleyball as I was leaving on Saturday, must have been them? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyRamone 0 #15 July 12, 2005 This was not the swoop pond, SDC has a pond to swim and fish in that is around 15 feet deep and they also have a different swoop pond. Hell you can drowned in 1 in of water. What a bummer. GOD SPEED... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr17Hz 1 #16 July 26, 2005 QuoteI found this news article. Anyone have any info or has this already been posted? http://www.pjstar.com/stories/071105/POL_B6USQ9R7.045.shtml QuoteMonday, July 11, 2005 Joliet man drowns in Ottawa pond OTTAWA - A Joliet man was pronounced dead at Ottawa Community Hospital after being pulled from a pond near Skydive Chicago on Saturday night. William A. Martin, 20, was playing volleyball with friends when he decided to go for a swim in the nearby pond, according to the LaSalle County Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff's Department, Ottawa EMS and River Rescue responded to the scene. The death remains under investigation by the LaSalle County Coroner's Office and the Sheriff's Department. This is the second drowning in two weeks in Ottawa. Last week a Chicago man drowned in the Illinois River near Starved Rock State Park. I was at the dropzone near the tail end of this. I kept my distance from the pond but everything that I've read here is consistant with what I heard except that he did not go swimming alone. There were a few of them swimming and messing around in the pond - a girl in the group called others (who were sitting on the deck, 10s of feet away) to her help when he "slid down her leg" and hadn't came up after 30-40 seconds. She felt he was playing a joke. Everyone in the surrounding area dove in and started searching the mucky - weedy bottom of the pond for his body. I was told there were about 10 people in the pond looking for him. When I showed up they were just taking him away, He was under for about 10 minutes but they did recussitate him, and he was talking when they took him away. It wasn't until the next week that I found out he had died in the ambulance. The pond was about 24 feet deep where he was found. This is all second hand information that I got from talking directly to people who were whitness to the event moments after the event took place. I was coming home to my weekend trailer which is about 100 feet away and has a clear view of the pond.Matt Christenson [email protected] http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
