Deputies identify 21-year-old man who drowned at Bartlett Lake
RIO VERDE, AZ (AZFamily) — Deputies have released the name of a man who drowned at Bartlett Lake over the weekend.
He’s since been identified as 21-year-old Juan Ojeda-Valdez.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said Ojeda-Valdez went underwater around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in the SB Cove area and never resurfaced.
Chris Hegstrom, director of media relations for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, says Ojeda-Valdez was with friends when trying to cross through the area and began to struggle in the water. People who were with him told MSCO he could swim but wasn’t wearing a life jacket.
The sheriff’s office says two people tried to rescue Ojeda-Valdez but were unsuccessful. His body was recovered on Sunday evening.
An investigation is currently underway.
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