Man jumps in lake to evade cop in Washington park, then vanishes underwater, police say
A man trying to evade an officer jumped into a park lake and vanished, Washington police said.
He was first spotted by officer Alex Olson after midnight Aug. 8 in Horseshoe Lake Park, the Woodland Police Department said in a news release.
The officer flashed his patrol lights to get the man’s attention because the park was closed, police said.
However, the man fled and went further into the park, police said.
Olsen saw the man about 10 minutes later. He had swam about halfway across the lake, police said, and was calling for help as he struggled to swim.
The officer contacted fire and rescue and then grabbed life jackets before jumping into the water to try to save him, police said.
He swam to the area he last saw the man but couldn’t find him. He had vanished under the water, police said.
Rescuers and dive teams found his body five hours later, police said.
His name will not be released until he is identified and his next of kin is notified.
Woodland is about a 30-mile drive north from Portland, Oregon.
This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 9:19 AM with the headline "Man jumps in lake to evade cop in Washington park, then vanishes underwater, police say."
