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KEEGO HARBOR — Tragedy struck a group of five fishing on Cass Lake when one of them misjudged the depth of the water and died from drowning.
The deceased is Jaylen Brickerson, 26, of Detroit. He drowned in Cass Lake June 22.
According to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, Brickerson entered Cass Lake from a boat to cool off and float, thinking the water was shallow.
He was with four other people on the 20-foot boat, which had been trolling over a sandbar. The boat had apparently moved, repositioning itself over deeper water, according to the sheriff.
Bouchard said that Brickerson was not a strong swimmer, and when he stepped overboard, the depth in Cass Lake was about 55 feet. A friend on the boat reportedly jumped into the water and tried to rescue him, but Brickerson panicked, and the friend could not hold him, causing the Detroit man to go under, losing contact with the ship.
A search and rescue team from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the scene about 4:15 p.m. after receiving a 911 call.
Once divers determined the approximate location of Brickerson, which was about 1,700 feet from the shoreline, the rescue team found him within six minutes.
According to the sheriff, Brickerson had been submerged for some time.
Rescue personnel immediately began CPR on him. Brickerson was taken to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The sheriff lamented the turn of events that took place that day.
“An enjoyable day on the water can rapidly become a tragic moment,” Bouchard warned.
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