GALENA, Ohio — The Franklin County Coroner’s Office released the identity of the man who died after his boat capsized in the Hoover Reservoir earlier this week.
The man was identified as 56-year-old Paul Parks. Parks died at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s at 12:33 a.m. on Monday.
Genoa Township Fire Chief Joe Ponzi said a call came in on Sunday evening about two people missing at the reservoir. Fire officials searched the area and found Parks and another man.
Investigators determined that the boat the two men were in capsized while fishing.
The other man was treated for his injuries at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s and his condition was described as fair.
The coroner’s office did not provide details on how Parks died. More information will be released at a later time.
Chief Ponzi said both men were wearing their life jackets, but the water temperature played a factor in the men’s conditions.
“I used to say ‘wear your life jacket, wear your life jacket.’ These guys had their life jackets on, but the weather condition and the water conditions turned out to be very unfortunate for one of the gentlemen,” Ponzi said . “It doesn’t take long to be exposed to that temperature to become hypothermic. It rapidly lowers your core temperature and you become unresponsive, you’re not able to swim anymore.”
He said the water temperature was around 48 degrees at the time of the rescue.
The boat has not been recovered.
Officers with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources are investigating the incident.
Hoover Reservoir Fishing Area
Managed fishing area information and printable fishing map for Hoover Reservoir northeast of Columbus, Ohio.