A Colorado teenager was killed after he jumped into what may have been an electrified lake in Virginia and drowned.
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 could see him in trouble in the lake and tried to jump in, only to feel an electric shock.
Eventually, they were able to pull Hamric out of the water and perform CPR but he died at a local hospital later Thursday.
Hamric and the two friends were all believed to have been electrocuted, according to local police. 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 could see him in trouble in the lake and tried to jump in, only to feel an electric shock
Eventually, they were able to pull Hamric out of the water and perform CPR but he died at a local hospital later Thursday
Medical Examiners are still performing an autopsy and a boat lift was near the scene of the accident, which could have malfunctioned and caused Hamric’s death as well.
However, the water was tested and electricity was found, leading investigators to believe stray voltage from a privately owned dock was the cause, WWVA reported.
Hamric was an athlete at Steamboat Springs High School in Colorado, where Hamric’s father, Jay, is the principal, according to the Steamboat Pilot. His mother is also an elementary school teacher in town.
Friends are saddened and already missing a beloved member of their community.
‘Ever since I first met that kid, I mean, he’s like one of a kind,’ friend Alex Schwab told KDVR.
‘You see him and you just, like, he always has a smile on his face.’
Hamric had just graduated from the school a month ago, where he was a varsity athlete in baseball and football.
Steamboat Springs held a prayer vigil for Hamric on Friday at the local Catholic church.
Hamric and the two friends were all believed to have been electrocuted, according to local police. Water can become electric when faulty wiring on boats or docks releases energy into the lake
Medical Examiners are still performing an autopsy and a boat lift was near the scene of the accident, which could have malfunctioned and caused Hamric’s death as well
‘Still can’t even like process it. I’m so upset by it,’ Schwab added.
The school posted a statement on its website to send out condolences in the wake of Hamric’s death.
‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of a recent Steamboat Springs High School graduate,’ they write.
They added that mental health counselors and crisis response professionals will be offered to the community.
‘Please take a moment to care for yourself, lean into those around you for support, and care for each other. Our thoughts are with all of you.’
The two friends who attempted to rescue Hamric were treated for their injuries at the scene and released.
