PEWAUKEE, Wis. — A 17-year-old died after drowning in the Pewaukee Lake early on Sunday morning, according to the Village of Pewaukee Police Department.
The department responded to a 911 call around 12:07 a.m. on Sunday from a person that reported their friend jumped in Pewaukee Lake and didn’t resurface.
The Pewaukee Fire Department and the Lake Country Fire and Rescue Dive Team also responded to the incident.
When they arrived at the lakefront fishing pier, in the 200 block of West Wisconsin Avenue, the dive team located the 17-year-old, who was in about 8 feet of water. They began life-saving efforts. However, the victim died.
Pewaukee police said the investigation is ongoing and they do not believe that alcohol played a role.
It comes as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is gearing up for the holiday weekend by increasing patrols to ensure safety on Wisconsin waters.
“We want everyone to enjoy Wisconsin’s beautiful waterways this holiday weekend, but safety must come first,” said Major April Dombrowski, director of the DNR’s Recreational Safety and Outdoor Skills Bureau.
The DNR offered the following safety tips for those going out on the water in a boat:
- “Sign up now to take an online boater education course
- “Always wear a properly fitted and fastened life jacket when on or near the water. A life jacket will keep you on top of the water if you walk off an unexpected drop-off, a wave or current overpowers you or you fall out of a boat
- “Enjoy the waters sober and know your limits. Alcohol blurs a person’s judgment, reaction time and abilities
- “River shorelines and sandbars pose unseen dangers. Higher, fast-moving water can tax an individual’s boating, paddling and swimming skills
- “Keep an eye on the weather and always tell someone where you are going
- “Create a float plan and tell people when and where you plan to depart and return before going for a float or paddle.”