Officials identify man who drowned at Sand Hollow State Park

The lake at Sand Hollow State Park Utah, July 13, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Brodie Rose, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The young man who recently drowned at Sand Hollow State Park was identified by officials as a 20-year-old Milford resident.

File photo of docks by the boat ramp at Sand Hollow Reservoir, Hurricane, Utah, May 5, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler. St. George News

At approximately 11:35 a.m. on June 25, Utah State Park law enforcement rangers received reports of a possible drowning in the reservoir, Assistant Park Manager Trevor Behunin said.

The man, identified as Juan Gaspar Martin, was swimming near the “jumping rocks” area of Sand Hollow Reservoir and for reasons currently unknown began to struggle to keep his head above water, Utah State Parks Public Information Officer and Program Manager Devan Chavez said.

Officials do not believe Martin was jumping from the rocks when the incident occurred, and he reportedly was not wearing a life jacket, Chavez added.

Friends, family and bystanders pulled Martin from the water and began CPR until park rangers arrived, at which point the rangers took over, Chavez said.

Hurricane Valley Fire District emergency medical services transported Martin to St. George Regional Hospital, where he was still unresponsive, Behunin said.

On June 27 Martin had not regained brain activity and was pronounced dead at the hospital, Chavez said.

“The Utah Division of State Parks extends our condolences to his friends and family impacted by this tragedy,” he said.

The cause of the drowning is still under investigation, said Behunin, adding that the man was young and healthy.

Safety as a top priority

Stock image, St. George News

Chavez said that with the recreation season underway and multiple incidents occurring across the state, recreators should “work diligently to keep safety a top priority.” However, he emphasized that these are “broad safety tips and not necessarily reflective of this exact incident.”

He suggests individuals always wear life jackets and helmets, recreate with a buddy and let others know where they are going and expect to return.

“When you go out into any outdoor recreation situation, whether that be at a state park, national park – anywhere like that – there’s some inherent risks that come with that and you make things a lot easier for yourself should something happen if there’s someone there to either help you or call for help,” he said.

Chavez said that swimmers should make sure they are hydrated and consume alcohol responsibly. Additionally, checking weather conditions and water temperatures is vital. For instance, if the wind picks up, the resulting waves can “turn a situation south real quick.” And, colder water can cause muscle cramps. These factors combined can quickly turn a situation an individual thought they could handle into one they couldn’t, he added.

“No one plans for tragedy to strike and that’s where life jackets or any other type of personal flotation device really come into play here,” he said.

File photo of Sand Hollow Reservoir, Hurricane, Utah, March 29, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

If a person falls into the water, particularly if it is cold, park officials do not recommend anyone jump in after them, though that may be their first instinct, said Chavez, adding that individuals should “reach, throw, row — then go.”

First, he said that those in an emergency situation with a person who is drowning should reach out with something like their arm or a paddle. Second, they can throw something like a life jacket or floatable tube to the person in the water.

Chavez said at this point a person could attempt to row to the victim to reach and throw again. Lastly, if they are still unable to assist, they should go for help.

“I know (jumping in is) a lot of people’s first instinct but we’ve seen … when someone jumps in after a family member or a friend, then you get two people stuck out there,” he said. “Or you know, it could even go up from there if another person jumps in. You don’t want to make the situation more difficult or more dangerous than it needs to be if it already is going south really quick.”

Click here to learn more about Utah’s state parks, safety tips, laws and rules.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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