Colorado boy, 18, dies after jumping into electrified Virginia lake
- Jesse Hamric, 18, was at a Fourth of July gathering with family and friends
- He was found in distress in a lake and when friends jumped in, they got a shock
- Hamric was pulled from the water but eventually died at a local hospital
A Colorado teenager died after jumping into a potentially flooded lake in Virginia and drowning.
Jesse Hamric, 18, was at a Fourth of July gathering with family and friends at Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston, at a private home with a dock.
Two of Hamric’s friends saw him in trouble in the lake and tried to jump in. However, they received an electric shock.
They were eventually able to pull Hamric from the water and resuscitate him, but he died later on Thursday at a local hospital.
Hamric and the two friends were all electrocuted, local police said. Water can become electric when faulty wiring on boats or docks releases energy into the lake.
Jesse Hamric, 18, was at a Fourth of July gathering with family and friends at Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston at a private home with a dock. Two of Hamric’s friends saw him in trouble in the lake and tried to jump in, but were shocked.
They were eventually able to pull Hamric from the water and perform CPR, but he died later on Thursday at a local hospital.
The coroners are still conducting an autopsy. There was a boat lift near the accident site. It could have malfunctioned and also caused Hamric’s death.
However, the water was tested and electricity was found, leading investigators to suspect stray voltage from a private dock was the cause. WWVA reported.
Hamric was an athlete at Steamboat Springs High School in Colorado, where Hamric’s father, Jay, is principal, the Steamboat pilotHis mother is also an elementary school teacher in the city.
Friends are sad and already missing a beloved member of their community.
“Since I first met that kid, I mean, he’s really one of a kind,” friend Alex Schwab told me KDVR.
“When you see him, you can see he always has a smile on his face.”
Hamric graduated a month ago from the school, where he played baseball and football as a varsity athlete.
Steamboat Springs held a prayer meeting for Hamric at the local Catholic church on Friday.
Hamric and the two friends were all electrocuted, local police said. Water can become electric when faulty wiring on boats or docks releases energy into the lake
Coroners are still conducting an autopsy and there was a boat lift near the accident scene that may have malfunctioned and could have also caused Hamric’s death.
“I still can’t even process it. I’m so upset about it,” Schwab added.
The school posted a statement on its website to express its condolences following Hamric’s death.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of a recent graduate of Steamboat Springs High School,” they wrote.
They added that mental health counselors and crisis response professionals will be made available to the community.
“Take a moment to care for yourself, seek support from those around you and look out for each other. Our thoughts are with you all.”
The two friends who tried to save Hamric were treated at the scene for their injuries and were then allowed to return home.