Teen drowns in Clear Lake

The music which usually accompanies carnival rides was silenced and a large crowd waiting to hear Arch Allies perform in the City Park Bandshell waited solemnly for over two hours Thursday, as rescue workers searched the lake’s waters between City Beach and the Sea Wall to recover the body of a drowned teenager.
 

The body of 16-year-old Jerrad Ramon, of Clear Lake, was pulled from the water at 8:28 p.m. Thursday.
     At approximately 4:23 p.m. the Clear Lake Police Department received a call that a swimmer had gone under water approximately 200 yards south of the 

downtown boat ramp at the end of Main Avenue, stated a joint news release issued by the CLPD and Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office.

   When officers arrived they spoke with 14-year-old Larry Luna, 

of Belmond, who said he had just met Ramon that afternoon and had been swimming with him.  Luna said they swam together to a marker buoy and were swimming back when Ramon complained he was in trouble.  According to Luna and other witnesses, Ramon waved his arms and went under the water and did not surface again.
    A couple of men on the shoreline swam toward the troubled swimmer to help, but he disappeared under the water before they reached his location.  Emergency personnel estimated the drowning occurred in water 10-12 feet deep.
    Members of the CLPD, Clear Lake Fire Department and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources began rescue efforts.
    Approximately one hour into the event the efforts changed to a recovery effort led by the Cerro - Read More Via e-Edition