Suburban Man Drowns After Late Night Swim
A man who reportedly jumped from his boat to go swimming in Fox Lake Saturday night ended up apparently drowning in an unincorporated area in north suburban Ingleside.
About 10:20 p.m., police responded to a water rescue in the lake near Baja Benny’s at 36930 N. Stanton Point Rd. in Ingleside, according to the Fox Lake Fire Department.
A man apparently jumped off his boat because he wanted to go swimming, according to Fox Lake Fire Deputy Chief Larry VanHoorelbeke.
The boat began to drift, and as the man swam toward it and couldn’t keep up, VanHoorelbeke said. Divers recovered the man’s body about 10:30 p.m. and he was dead on the scene.
Lake County Coroner Dr. Richard Keller said a 47-year-old man was killed and an autopsy is scheduled for Monday. His name is not being released pending family notification.
Baja Benny’s is a tavern on Fox Lake that serves food and beer, according to the bar’s Web site. The tavern hosts volleyball and dart leagues and has boat slips for rent.
VanHoorelbeke said the water the man drowned in was about four to five feet deep. It was not known if alcohol played a role in the incident.
Lake County Sheriff’s police are investigating, but a spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
