OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A man has died in a boat crash in an Oakland County lake on Tuesday.
White Lake Township police received a report of a boat crash in Oxbow Lake at around 2:20 p.m. on Aug. 25.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, a boat was traveling at an excessively high rate of speed and became airborne. A 56-year-old Taylor man was thrown into the water and was rescued by nearby boaters, while the driver remained missing underwater.
The sheriff’s office said after further investigation, they learned Kirk Magnuson, 71, of White Lake, went beneath the boat in the crash and did not resurface.
The Taylor man was taken to a local hospital and is expected to recover.
Previous coverage –> Oakland County deputies search Oxbow Lake after person reported going underwater
Rescue crews later found Magnuson 50 feet below the surface. He was recovered and brought to shore, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was performed, and his death was ruled an accidental drowning.
Investigators found that neither of them was wearing a life vest at the time of the crash. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor.
“This is an incredibly sad and preventable tragedy. Excessive speed on the water can turn dangerous in an instant, and a personal flotation device can mean the difference between life and death,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement on Wednesday. “One person tragically lost their life, and we are extremely fortunate a nearby boater saw what happened, immediately responded, and was able to save the other individual. We are grateful for that citizen’s quick and selfless actions. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of the person who lost their life. Please, slow down, wear a life jacket, and never take safety on the water for granted. I am also grateful for the incredible professionalism and capability of the combined search and rescue team that was able in extremely difficult conditions to locate the decedent and the boat and bring both to the surface.”
The investigation is ongoing.
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