Two incidences during the past week have resulted in a pair of deaths within the county.
The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call June 29 regarding an injured male onboard a boat on Lahontan Reservoir. While emergency response personnel were en route to Lahontan Reservoir, a second call on the same incident was received by the CCSO. Sheriff Richard Hickox said a boat with an injured male was at Beach 22.
Lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, and Hickox said man was identified as 25-year-old Joel Orville Schwarz of Round Mountain. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hickox said initial information revealed Schwarz had slipped on the ladder while trying to board his boat and struck the propeller, which was still under power. He injured his lower right leg.
Hickox said the boating accident investigation will be conducted by the Nevada Division of Wildlife.
During the early morning hours of June 27, the CCSO received a 911 call on a fire with explosions at the Fallon RV Park, 5787 Reno Highway.
Upon the CCSO’s arrival, Hickox said a motorhome was found to be fully engulfed in flame, and the owner and resident of the RV was unaccounted for and could not be located.
Upon the fire being extinguished, he said human remains were discovered inside the burned hull of the RV and were sent to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office to assist the CCSO in obtaining a positive identification and cause of death.
The fire is being investigated by the Nevada state fire marshal in conjunction with the Churchill County fire marshal. Details of their findings will be released by those agencies.
