Full Notification

Public Information Release
May 16, 2013
Lieutenant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer


On May 14, 2013 at approximately 7:00 pm, a Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol Deputy was dispatched to the area of Jago Bay on Clearlake, for a report of a boat adrift. The deputy located a yellow and white fiberglass boat grounded against the shore. Upon inspection of the boat, the deputy discovered the engine was running with no occupants on the boat.

The deputy contacted a witness who had observed a single occupant fishing from the boat which was tied to a piling on May 14th at approximately 12:00 pm. At approximately 7:00 pm the witness noticed the boat against the shore with no one on board and called the Sheriff’s Office.

On May 15, 2013 The Lake County Sheriff’s Department requested additional resources to assist in the search. The San Francisco Police Department had responded with personnel and a remotely operated underwater vehicle (R.O.V.). The Sacramento Drowning Accident Rescue Team had also responded with personnel to assist in the search. At approximately 3:52 pm, the San Francisco Police Department located the body of a white male adult at a depth of approximately fifteen feet with the use of their R.O.V. At approximately 1700 hrs, the Sacramento Drowning Accident Rescue Team recovered the body, which was approximately ten feet from the Piling the boat was reported to have been tied.

The victim was later identified as 73 year old John Henry Taberner of Richmond California.