BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. — A recent graduate from Steamboat Springs High School died on July 4 after an apparent electrocution on a Virginia lake.
Early in the morning on July 4, the dispatch center for Bedford County in Virginia received a call about a possible drowning at Smith Mountain Lake, according to a Bedford County Sheriff's Office press release obtained by Steamboat Radio and shared with Denver7. The lake is southeast of Roanoke and about 30 miles north of the Virginia-North Carolina state line.
The press release reads that when authorities arrived on the scene, the victim's family and friends explained they had seen the victim in distress in the water, but when two of them jumped in to help him, they felt a shock. They were able to get him out of the water and started CPR.
The two people who went in the water to help him were treated at the lake scene and released, the sheriff's office said. The victim was transported to a hospital, where he passed away.
The Medical E
xaminer's Office of Western District of Virginia confirmed to Denver7 on Friday that the victim had been identified as Jesse Hamric. Steamboat Radio reported that Hamric was a Steamboat Springs High School Class of 2024 graduate, a former athlete on its football and baseball teams, and the son of the high school's principal, Jay Hamric.
An autopsy is set for Friday to determine the cause and manner of death, the office said.
A prayer vigil is planned for 6 p.m. Friday at Holy Name Catholic Church, Steamboat Radio reported.
In a letter sent to school families and staff, Steamboat Springs School District Superintendent Celine Wicks informed the community of the loss.
"It is with a heavy heart that we share that Jesse Hamric, a recent high school graduate and the son of Jay and Heidi Hamric, has passed away in a tragic accident while on a family vacation in Virginia," the letter reads. "We are aware that the news of this loss has reached many of you but wanted to ensure that all of the members of our school community were notified."
The sheriff's office said foul play is not suspected.
