Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of a drowning at Hagg Lake Saturday evening.
At about 9:30 p.m., recovery teams found the body of Vielman Mijail De La Cruz-Lopez, 32, of Cornelius.
According to a statement issued by the sheriff’s office Saturday night, Marine Patrol deputies were first alerted by visitors at the lake of a drowning near the lake’s fishing pier around 7:10 p.m.
“The male reportedly jumped off the pier into the water, surfaced, then struggled to swim before submerging once again,” the sheriff’s office said, noting that deputies immediately began searching for a male in his thirties.
“The water temperature at the time of search and recovery operations was 80 degrees Fahrenheit,” a press release noting the discovery of the body of De La Cruz-Lopez read.
The sheriff’s office stated that a recovery effort, with the help of the Lake Owego Fire Department Dive Team, had begun.
Signage on the pier notes that diving off the pier is not permitted.
The sheriff’s office thanked a number of agencies that aided in the initial search and following recovery options, including American Medical Response (AMR), Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, Gaston Fire Department, Hillsboro Police Department, Lake Oswego Fire Department Water Rescue Team, Lake Oswego Fire Department Dive Team, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Water Rescue Team, Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office, and Washington County Parks.
Hagg Lake, the centerpiece of Washington County’s largest park, Scoggins Valley Park, is a manmade lake near Gaston. It draws visitors to fish, hike, bike, boat, and swim from all over western Washington County and beyond and serves as a reservoir for local communities.
This story has been updated with information from a press release issued after the original story was published.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Gales Creek Journal and sister news publications the Banks Post and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
