A tragic turn of events unfolded at Chatfield State Park earlier this week when a paddleboarder went missing in the reservoir. The combined efforts of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), South Metro Fire Rescue, West Metro Fire Rescue, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office led to the recovery of the victim's body on Monday evening, as confirmed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the incident occurred around 4:25 p.m. when a man and his two children, sharing a single paddleboard, were knocked into the water by a sudden gust of wind. Thankfully, nearby paddleboarders managed to rescue the children. The man, unfortunately, did not resurface. Responding teams, including CPW rangers and the CPW Marine Evidence Recovery Team (MERT), utilized sonar and underwater drones in their search. The victim was located at approximately 7:15 p.m. and was found not to have been wearing a life jacket.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is taking the lead on the subsequent death investigation, with the identity of the decedent to be released by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. As the community grapples with this loss, CPW reminds all those recreating on Colorado waters of the vital importance of wearing life jackets. Despite the provision of free life jacket loaner stations at Chatfield, the unforeseen can manifest rapidly, transforming recreation into tragedy.
