Individual Details
Christopher Wilson
(Abt 1983 - 15 May 2003)
River Valley Online News, Published 10:35 May-16-03
Drowning victim identified; county employees rescue surviving boater
GLENWOOD CITY -- St. Croix County authorities have identified Thursday's drowning victim as Christopher J. Wilson, age 20 of Boyceville.
Wilson and a companion, Daniel F. Lucas, 31, also of Boyceville were apparently fishing when their small boat capsized about 100 yards from shore in Glen Lake in Glen Hills County Park.
Park employees heard Lucas calling for help about 1:40 p.m. They could see him clinging to a the overturned boat. Employee Bianca Lamers swam out and helped him remain afloat while coworkers Joe Grant and Merwyn Neibacher finished launching a boat and rowed out to bring him to shore.
Meanwhile, Wilson had disappeared.
A member of the Hudson dive team recovered Wilson's body in 26 feet of water about three hours later.
Neither man was wearing a life jacket nor had floatation devices, according to a St. Croix County Sheriff's Department news release.
Wilson is the first drowning victim in the county this year.
Glen Hills Park is a 700-acre, water-based recreation facility in Springfield Township, eastern St. Croix County, about four miles north of I-94.
Eighty-four acre Glen Lake was formed as the result of federal watershed project for conservation and flood control. Maximum depth is 38 feet, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It is a popular local fishing area in all seasons.
HSO, 22 May 2003, p3A [excerpt]
Boyceville man drowns in Glen Lake
A 20-year-old Boyceville man drowned last Thursday afternoon in Glen Lake while his fishing partner was rescued.
St. Croix County Sheriff Dennis Hillstead said Christopher J. Wilson was recovered from 26 feet of water by the Hudson dive team at about 4:30 p.m., May 15. Daniel Floyd Lucas, 32, Boyceville, was saved by Glen Hills Park employees.
"We received a call at 1:41 p.m. from Glen Hills Park personnel reporting a boat had capsized and two persons were in the water," Hillstead said. "They were working on the swimming beach when they heard Lucas call for help."
Lucas, who could not swim, hung onto the boat. Wilson attempted to swim to shore about 100 yards away and went down. Neither man was wearing a life jacket, the sheriff said.
The sheriff said both men were fishing out of a very small plastic boat. "It wasn't any bigger than the top of my desk. I would say the boat was about six feet long and less than four feet wide," he said.
Dave Hausman, DNR warden supervisor, Baldwin, said the accident could have easily been avoided.
"They had no life jackets, preservers of any kind. The men were fishing from a six and one-half foot by three-foot "Bass Buggy" boat equipped with a battery-operated trolling motor."
Glen Lake Park is in the extreme eastern part of the county south of Glenwood City in the town of Springfield. Glen Lake is 84 acres with a maximum depth of 38 feet.
Drowning victim identified; county employees rescue surviving boater
GLENWOOD CITY -- St. Croix County authorities have identified Thursday's drowning victim as Christopher J. Wilson, age 20 of Boyceville.
Wilson and a companion, Daniel F. Lucas, 31, also of Boyceville were apparently fishing when their small boat capsized about 100 yards from shore in Glen Lake in Glen Hills County Park.
Park employees heard Lucas calling for help about 1:40 p.m. They could see him clinging to a the overturned boat. Employee Bianca Lamers swam out and helped him remain afloat while coworkers Joe Grant and Merwyn Neibacher finished launching a boat and rowed out to bring him to shore.
Meanwhile, Wilson had disappeared.
A member of the Hudson dive team recovered Wilson's body in 26 feet of water about three hours later.
Neither man was wearing a life jacket nor had floatation devices, according to a St. Croix County Sheriff's Department news release.
Wilson is the first drowning victim in the county this year.
Glen Hills Park is a 700-acre, water-based recreation facility in Springfield Township, eastern St. Croix County, about four miles north of I-94.
Eighty-four acre Glen Lake was formed as the result of federal watershed project for conservation and flood control. Maximum depth is 38 feet, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It is a popular local fishing area in all seasons.
HSO, 22 May 2003, p3A [excerpt]
Boyceville man drowns in Glen Lake
A 20-year-old Boyceville man drowned last Thursday afternoon in Glen Lake while his fishing partner was rescued.
St. Croix County Sheriff Dennis Hillstead said Christopher J. Wilson was recovered from 26 feet of water by the Hudson dive team at about 4:30 p.m., May 15. Daniel Floyd Lucas, 32, Boyceville, was saved by Glen Hills Park employees.
"We received a call at 1:41 p.m. from Glen Hills Park personnel reporting a boat had capsized and two persons were in the water," Hillstead said. "They were working on the swimming beach when they heard Lucas call for help."
Lucas, who could not swim, hung onto the boat. Wilson attempted to swim to shore about 100 yards away and went down. Neither man was wearing a life jacket, the sheriff said.
The sheriff said both men were fishing out of a very small plastic boat. "It wasn't any bigger than the top of my desk. I would say the boat was about six feet long and less than four feet wide," he said.
Dave Hausman, DNR warden supervisor, Baldwin, said the accident could have easily been avoided.
"They had no life jackets, preservers of any kind. The men were fishing from a six and one-half foot by three-foot "Bass Buggy" boat equipped with a battery-operated trolling motor."
Glen Lake Park is in the extreme eastern part of the county south of Glenwood City in the town of Springfield. Glen Lake is 84 acres with a maximum depth of 38 feet.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1983 | ||||
| Death | 15 May 2003 | Town of Springfield, St. Croix County, Wisconsin | |||
| Marriage | Mandy Hayes |
Families
| Spouse | Mandy Hayes |
| Child | Christina Wilson |