Search ends in tragedy after man disappears while trying to retrieve loose houseboat at Shasta Lake

April 12, 2022 Trevor Montgomery

UPDATED: Saturday, April 16, 11:04 a.m.

Originally Published: Tuesday, April 12, 2:10 p.m.

See Original Story below.

SHASTA LAKE, Calif., — Authorities say the search for a man who disappeared after entering Shasta Lake last Monday ended tragically when the man’s body was recovered yesterday afternoon.

As reported by SCNS earlier this week, the victim was feared to have drowned while trying to retrieve a houseboat that had come untethered from the bank at Shasta Lake’s O’Brien Creek Inlet and never resurfaced.

Reports of the man’s disappearance launched a large-scale, multi-agency search the day he disappeared; however, officials were forced to call off their search efforts that evening, due to poor weather, “extremely windy conditions”, and fading daylight.

As their search continued yesterday, Friday, April 15, at around 12:30 p.m. Shasta County Sheriff’s Dive Team members and Shasta County Volunteer Dive Team members using an underwater, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) located the victim’s body in approximately 100 feet of water, Shasta County Sheriff’s Sergeant David Renfer reported this morning.

The man’s name has not been released, pending positive identification and notification of his family, according to Renfer, who said no further information would be released at this time.

Original Story: Search continuing after man disappears while trying to retrieve loose houseboat at Shasta Lake

SHASTA LAKE, Calif., — The search for a man who went missing and is believed to have possibly drowned at Shasta Lake is continuing today, after poor weather, “extremely windy conditions”, and fading daylight forced the search to be postponed yesterday evening, Monday, April 11.

The search, which was scheduled to resume this morning, began after the victim entered the water when his houseboat came untethered from the bank and never resurfaced, according to officials.

LEADING THE SCNS HEADLINES:
Body discovered on walking trail near ACID Canal in Redding
Weeks-old “minor dispute” leads to Redding shooting – Gunman arrested
Investigation underway after body recovered from Sacramento River near Anderson River Park
Yreka City Clerk arrested – Victims sought, after hundreds of child porn images found
Injured man rescued from Sacramento River after jumping from bridge in Red Bluff

Yesterday’s search began around 9:30 a.m. after authorities received the report of a possible drowning near the lake’s O’Brien Creek Inlet, according to Shasta County Sheriff’s Services Division Captain Gene Randall, who said the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit (BSU), members of the Shasta County Dive team, and Cal Fire personnel all responded to the scene to assist in the initial search.

Deputies learned from witnesses that the victim had entered the water to retrieve and re-secure his houseboat after it came untethered from the shoreline and began floating away. According to witnesses, the man never resurfaced.

Underwater search and rescue efforts continued throughout yesterday afternoon, “but were complicated by extremely windy conditions and the depth of the water,” Randall went on to explain, saying the search was eventually called off due to the weather conditions and fading light around 5 p.m.

The victim’s name has not been released “pending identification, family notification, and further investigation”, according to Randall.

The full details of what led to yesterday’s incident remain under investigation by the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and no further details have been released.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.

native advertising

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

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 30 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 18 grandchildren.