Waterford man becomes 13th drowning victim in Oakland County this year

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 61-year-old Waterford Township man is the 13th drowning victim in Oakland County this year, the sheriff's office said.

Joselito Estonilo Garcia's body was discovered in Maceday Lake late Monday night, found under a dock by a Waterford police officer.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team  was dispatched to the 3700 block of Austinwood after a 911 caller reported hearing a voice yelling for help and the sound of someone thrashing about in the water at 9:42 p.m. on Monday.

Township police received a separate emergency call. The caller reported the yelling stopped after a short time. Garcia’s body was found and life-saving measures and CPR began. It was not known how or where Garcia entered the lake.

Garcia was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased early today. Sheriff’s investigators believe alcohol may have been a factor in the death.

An autopsy was scheduled for today. Investigators said the likely cause of death was drowning. It would be the 13th drowning in an Oakland County lake this year.

"This has been an extremely tragic year for drownings in Oakland County," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "Sadly, many threads are common with drownings and often include alcohol consumption. That is under investigation in this case as well. We urge people to be safe in and around water."