Police: Joliet man drowns while boating on Chain O’ Lakes

ANTIOCH -- A Joliet man who was boating with his girlfriend and her two daughters apparently drowned in Fox Lake while trying to come to the aid of one of the girls, police said.

About 3:40 p.m. Aug. 6, Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Unit Deputies were dispatched to Fox Lake for a possible drowning.  Marine Unit deputies arrived and the victim, a 43-year-old Joliet man, had just been pulled from the lake by a passing boater and driven to a marina in the 38700 block of North Broadway Drive, unincorporated Antioch, according to a news release.

Preliminary investigation shows the victim, his girlfriend and her daughters rented a boat from a Chain O’Lakes boat rental company. 

The group was anchored in the area of Columbia Bay, near the Fox Lake, and the three girls were swimming in the water, police said. One of the girls started having trouble swimming, and the victim jumped into the water to help her.  While trying to help the girl, the man went under the water and did not resurface.  He was located submerged about 15 minutes later, according to the release. 

He was taken to Northwestern McHenry Hospital, where he later died, police said.

While it appears this was a tragic accident, Lake County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating.