UPDATE: Victim of fatal Lake Shasta boating accident ID’d

September 8, 2019 Trevor Montgomery

UPDATED: Sunday, Sept. 8, 1 p.m., With additional information.

SHASTA LAKE — A 23-year-old, San Jose man died after being struck by the propeller of a rented houseboat being operated by family members at Lake Shasta Sept. 6. Despite frantic life-saving efforts by family members, law enforcement officials, and medical professionals, the victim died at the scene of Friday afternoon’s tragic accident.

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After receiving reports that the victim, later identified as Kevin Rivera-Cornejo, had been struck by the rented houseboat’s propeller in Corey Cove around 4:30 p.m., deputies from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit, along with a Cal Fire/Shasta County fire boat raced to the scene of the accident, Shasta County Sheriff’s Boating Safety Unit Deputy Ray Hughes reported after the victim’s death.

Based on the severity of the victim’s injuries, a Dignity Health ambulance and PHI Helicopter were also dispatched to the scene.

When deputies arrived at the scene they found the victim had sustained major traumatic injuries to his legs. According to Hughes, they immediately placed tourniquets on the man’s legs while family members continued CPR.

As soon as they could, deputies moved Rivera-Cornejo into their patrol boat and rushed him to Silverthorn Resort where a Dignity Health Ambulance and a PHI Helicopter were staged and waiting.

However, despite their life-saving efforts Rivera-Cornejo succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

After passing away, the victim’s body was turned over to Shasta County Coroner’s Office personnel.

Deputies who investigated the cause of Friday’s accident learned Rivera-Cornejo had been house boating with family and friends in the area of Shasta Lake’s Corey Cove when the fatal accident happened, according to Hughes.

Deputies determined the victim’s father, Hector Rivera, 49, of San Jose, was operating the rented houseboat and was in the process of trying to moor the vvessel to shore when the accident occurred.

While Rivera-Cornejo’s father was maneuvering the houseboat to the shore the victim was on the back swim deck area, by himself, according to Hughes.

As the victim’s father was reversing the houseboat, the victim either jumped or fell into the water, where he was struck by the vessel’s propeller.

After hearing Rivera-Cornejo begin screaming, his father stopped the houseboat, at which time he and other family members went to the back deck and pulled the profusely bleeding victim from the water.

After pulling Rivera-Cornejo from the water and onto the houseboat’s rear deck, his family discovered the victim had sustained serious propeller cuts to his lower extremities and was unconscious. After beginning CPR, the family called 911 and reported the accident.

During their investigation, deputies determined alcohol and/or drug intoxication were not a factor in the deadly boating accident. Their investigation is ongoing, but nobody is expected to be charged with the victim’s death.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.

LEADING THE SCNS HEADLINES:

Based on the severity of the victim’s injuries, a Dignity Health ambulance and PHI Helicopter were also dispatched to the scene.

When deputies arrived at the scene they found the victim had sustained major traumatic injuries to his legs they immediately placed tourniquets on the man’s legs while family members continued CPR.

Deputies eventually moved Rivera-Cornejo into their patrol boat and rushed him to Silverthorn Resort where a Dignity Health Ambulance and a PHI Helicopter were staged and waiting.

However, despite their life-saving efforts Rivera-Cornejo succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

After passing away, the victim’s body was turned over to Shasta County Coroner’s Office personnel.

Deputies determined the victim’s father, Hector Rivera, 49, of San Jose, was operating the rented houseboat and was in the process of trying to moor the houseboat to shore when the accident occurred.

While Rivera-Cornejo’s father was maneuvering the houseboat to the shore the victim was on the back swim deck area, by himself, according to Hughes.

As the victim’s father was reversing the houseboat, the victim either jumped or fell into the water. After hearing Rivera-Cornejo begin screaming, his father stopped the houseboat, at which time he and other family members went to the back deck and pulled the victim from the water.

After pulling Rivera-Cornejo from the water, his family discovered the victim had sustained serious propeller cuts to his lower extremities and was unconscious. After beginning CPR, the family called 911 and reported the accident.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]