Death of man at Quail Creek State Park under investigation
Mar 9, 2021, 3:37 PM | Updated: 4:36 pm
FILE: Quail Creek Reservoir. The man who drowned after falling off a paddle board at the reservoir over the weekend has been identified. (Ravell Call, Deseret News)
(Ravell Call, Deseret News)
WASHINGTON CITY, Utah — Officials continue to investigate the death of a 77-year-old Washington County man at Quail Creek State Park in southern Utah.
Death reported at Quail Creek State Park
The Utah Division of Parks and Recreation said family members reported Donald Denoon, 77, missing around 7:45 p.m. Monday when he did not make it back home from a solo fishing trip.
Crews from the state park, Washington County Search and Rescue, and Hurricane City police responded to the area to conduct a search.
They found Denoon’s body in the water around 10:30 p.m. While searchers found a life jacket inside his boat, they said he was not wearing one.
State park officials did not say what caused Denoon’s death, but they said conditions at the reservoir Monday included chilly water temperatures and strong, gusty winds.
Denoon’s death is at least the second related to an accident at Quail Creek since the beginning of the year. In January, another fisherman became trapped in his truck on the boat ramp as it became submerged and died at a nearby hospital.
Read more:
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- County aquatics urges safety, lessons after drownings
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- Skyline High School swimmer helps save life at state swim meet
- New study: Utah high on the list of alcohol-related boating accidents
