Wisconsin man, 25, drowns in channel north of Petite Lake

Police say man jumped into water after night of drinking, tried to swim across the channel

Police car/lights

LAKE VILLA – A 25-year-old man from Kenosha, Wisconsin, died June 4 after jumping into a water channel just north of Petite Lake.

About 1:05 a.m., Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Unit deputies responded to the Long Channel, located between Petite Lake and Spring Lake for a man who went underwater, according to a news release.

Members of the Sheriff’s Marine Unit along with the Lake Villa Fire Protection District searched the channel for several hours. Sheriff’s deputies also used a drone in the search. About 6:30 a.m., the man’s body was recovered from the water, police said.

Preliminary investigation shows the man likely was heavily intoxicated as witnesses observed him drinking at a birthday party. After the party, the man returned to a residence in the 25100 block of West Forest Drive in unincorporated Lake Villa and jumped from a pier into the water with his clothes on.

The man was able to swim to shore and a relative helped him remove his wet clothing and took him to bed. A short time later, the man left the bed, jumped into the water again, this time without clothing, and tried to swim across the channel. The man went underwater as he swam across the channel.

The deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Anthony Mendoza, according to the Lake County Coroner’s Office. On June 5, an autopsy was completed at the Lake County Coroner’s Office. Preliminary results indicate Mendoza died from drowning.

The incident remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit.

Shaw Local News Network

Shaw Local News Network

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