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Water safety should not be ignored in Edmond

Jun 4, 2008 | Diana Baldwin | News OK

The summer water recreation season is off to a bad start. The first drowning in three years at Arcadia Lake occurred last week.

The body of Leonardo Avila, 17, was pulled from the lake four hours after he jumped from an inflatable raft and drowned.

His death was the first in a string of reported deaths during the last week. At least five other people drowned or were killed on water across the state.

Another 17-year-old slipped underneath the water and drowned at Lake Tenkiller and two young children died in separate drowning incidents in Oklahoma City and Enid.

A boat accident left an Ardmore man dead Saturday at Lake Murray in southern Oklahoma. The body of a Durant man was pulled Tuesday from Lake Texoma after he jumped from a boat and drowned two days earlier.

Edmond police Sgt. Bob Pratt said people need to follow the rules and use common sense when around the water this summer.

Tim Wheeler, chief of fire prevention for the Edmond Fire Department, said, "Nonexperienced swimmers need to know their limits.

Avila's body was recovered by divers in about 10 feet of murky water.

"People should swim in areas designated for swimming. Unfortunately, he (Avila) was over his head."

Pratt warns people not to dive or jump into Arcadia Lake because the water is murky.

"You can't see the logs and rocks under there," Pratt said. "Lakes used to be valleys and woods. Arcadia Lake is a man-made lake."