Two brothers died in a large pond accident Sunday in Clark County after their boat capsized and no one was wearing a life jacket. In Warren County, a Pennsylvania man died Sunday after he was thrown off a jet ski Sunday at Caesar Creek Lake. And in Clermont County, a teenager who was not wearing a life jacket died at a lake at East Fork State Park.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the deaths of Nickolas S. Boling, 29, and Sean M. Boling, 30, both of Dayton, who attempted to rescue a 7-year-old child from a private pond in Bethel Twp. in Clark County.
The 7-year-old, the child of Nickolas Boling, survived and was transported to a hospital, but the child’s condition is unclear.
Emergency crews were called at 4:41 p.m. to the 10000 block of Schiller Road on a “report of potentially people underwater from a capsized boat as well as other people struggling in the water,” King said.
A child called 911 and reported the boat had flipped over. The caller’s father and uncle were in the water trying to help the caller’s cousin, according to call records.
“I need help, I don’t know what to do,” the caller said. “I don’t want to lose my dad. I’m freaking out, I can’t lose my uncle.”
Responding crews immediately dove into the water and rescued a child “struggling to remain above water with no life jacket on,” King said.
In the process, a Clark County Sheriff’s deputy suffered exhaustion and was transported to a hospital. The deputy, identified Monday as Vaughn Apel by the sheriff’s office, has been released from the hospital.
Nickolas Boling was declared dead at the scene.
Sean Boling was taken to the hospital Sunday, and he later died at Kettering Health Dayton, the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Tuesday.
The deaths remain under investigation by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Jet ski accident
Donnell Jordan, 31, of Erie, Pa., was reportedly riding on a jet ski at Caesar Creek Lake on Sunday afternoon when he was thrown off. Witnesses reported the jet skier hit a wave and was thrown from his watercraft. The coroner’s office said Jordan died at the scene and that he was wearing a life jacket at the time.
An autopsy of Jordan’s body was conducted Tuesday but the preliminary cause of death was inconclusive and could not determine a cause of death. Mike DeBorde, Warren County chief coroner’s investigator, further toxicology and other testing will be done to determine if Jordan drowned or was experiencing another medical issue. He said no foul play is suspected.
Stephanie O’Grady, an Ohio Department of Natural Resources spokesperson, said the man may have suffered a medical event that led to him being thrown off the jet ski but the incident remains under investigation.
Clermont County death
In Clermont County, a 16-year-old boy drowned in Lake Harsha at East Fork State Park. The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office identified the drowning victim as Yeiso Laines of Florence, Ky.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is investigating the drowning. Witnesses there said the teenager went under the waters of Lake Harsha while swimming Monday and did not resurface.
Natural Resource Officers were called to the scene just before 2 p.m. Monday, according to a release issued by ODNR. The officers located a body a short time later.
Near accidents in water
In Montgomery County, crews were called Monday afternoon to the Great Miami River at the Rip Rap Road Bridge for a missing swimmer.
Three males were reportedly swimming around 12:30 p.m. when one of them did not resurface, according to the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center.
Boats from Huber Heights, Butler Twp. and Dayton were called to the scene, where crews found the male and safely pulled him from the water, according to the dispatch center.
On Saturday, rescue crews were called to two kayakers stuck in the low lever dam on the Great Miami River near Miamisburg after going over it.
“Low Head Dams are not waterfalls! They are very dangerous hydraulics that should always be avoided. They are referred to as ‘Drowning Machines’ for good reason,” the Miami Valley Fire Department wrote in a social media post.
Last year, there were at least 15 boating-related fatalities in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Staff Writers Sydney Dawes, Josh Sweigart, Eric Schwartzberg contributed to this report..
Resources for boaters
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources offers complimentary boating inspections upon request, along with educational courses, which can be found on the www.ohiodnr.gov website. For more information, visit www.ohiodnr.gov and go to “discover and learn.”
Safe boating tips
- Wear a life jacket.
- Check equipment and make sure you know how to use it.
- Communicate a float plan: where you’re going and when you’ll return.
- Use an engine cutoff device.
- Watch the weather.
- Stay alert: Many accidents are due to operator inattention.
- Know boating speed zones and travel at safe speeds.
- Never boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Keep in touch via communication devices.
Source: ODNR and the National Safe Boating Council
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