A Colorado teen died after jumping into an electrified lake while visiting friends in Virginia on Independence Day.
The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office said 18-year-old Jesse Hamric was visiting friends in Virginia with his family when he jumped into Smith’s just outside Roanoke on Thursday morning, WDBJ reported Smith Mountain Lake.
After Hamrick entered the water, his friend noticed something was wrong. Two people jumped into the lake to help him and said they immediately felt an electrical current in the water, which deputies later attributed to stray voltage from a nearby residential dock. Firefighters also tested the water and detected electricity in the water, WDBJ reported.
Friends, who suffered minor injuries, pulled Hamrick from the water and performed CPR until emergency crews arrived at the scene around 4 a.m., deputies said.
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Jesse Hamric, center, 18, died when he jumped into Smith Mountain Lake outside Roanoke while visiting friends with his family in Virginia. (go support me)
Deputies said Hamrick was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Steamboat Pilot & Today reported. His death is being investigated as an accident.
Smith Mountain Lake Marine Corps Volunteer Fire/Rescue Assistant Chief Ray Talley told WDBJ that homeowners of powered homes were notified of the incident and must work with an electrician to resolve the voltage issue.
According to Steamboat Pilot & Today, Hamrick was a football and baseball player and recent graduate of Steamboat Springs High School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
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Jesse Hamrick’s death is being investigated as an accident. (iStock)
A GoFundMe page has been created to support the family and benefit the Jesse Cyrus Hamrick Courage and Love Foundation. As of early Monday morning, the fundraiser had raised more than $72,000.
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“Please join us in supporting the beloved Hamrick family,” the fundraiser says. “They are true servants of our community, and everything they do and who they are make life in Steamboat Springs better. Better yet! Jesse was a beloved friend who brought light and positivity wherever he went and will be missed every day.
