Recent Steamboat Springs graduate dies in Virginia lake accident
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — A prayer vigil was held on Friday in Steamboat Springs to remember the son of a high school principal.
He had just graduated over a month ago and was killed on Thursday in Virginia, possibly from electrocution.
Victims in random triple shooting were trying to help suspect
Jesse Hamric was a popular football and baseball player at Steamboat Springs High School, and he was also a beloved friend.
“Ever since I first met that kid, I mean, he’s like one of a kind,” said Alex Schwab, a friend of Hamric’s for over three years. “You see him and you just, like, he always has a smile on his face.”
Bystanders feel shock in Virginia lake
The accident happened on the popular Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston, Virginia, which is about an hour away from Roanoke. The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office said three people at a private home with a dock on Lee Drive in Huddleston were gathering with family and friends when the incident occurred.
Friends told law enforcement they saw Hamric in distress in the water so they jumped in and immediately felt a shock. They pulled Hamric out of the water and attempted CPR, but he later passed away at the hospital.
Investigators are waiting for a report from the medical examiners, but the cause of death is believed to be electrocution.
“Still can’t even like process it. I’m so upset by it,” Schwab said.
Schwab said he could always count on Hamric when it came to tearing up mountains.
“He really was an amazing snowboarder,” he said.
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Colorado’s universal preschool program
Schwab said he recalled them trying a trick that neither had done in at least a year.
“We were just like getting ready to do it. You know, just like taking the time to get ready, and it was like, he just like did it … just like out of nowhere. Didn’t even tell me, he lands it first try perfectly,” Schwab said.
Steamboat Springs High posted a statement on its website in response to the tragedy.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of a recent Steamboat Springs High School graduate,” the statement reads in part.
FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox
“Please take a moment to care for yourself, lean into those around you for support, and care for each other. Our thoughts are with all of you,” the statement later continues.
The school said mental health and crisis response professionals would be available to help the community grieve “this incredible loss.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
