One Man Deceased

5-2-2023 DIP News

On May 1, 2023, at 2:55 PM, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call regarding a boating incident on the backwaters of the Mississippi River. This incident occurred near River of Lakes Campground, Bagley, WI. The caller reported seeing a boat floating in the water and no one in it. A follow-up call to the dispatch center reported that a male had fallen out of the boat, was brought to shore, and CPR was in progress. West Grant EMS, Bagley First Responders, and Glen Haven First Responders, along with a deputy from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene. The patient was transported by EMS to Crossing Rivers Health Center in Prairie du Chien, WI, where he was pronounceddead. 

The victim was identified as Michael Coon, 68, of Bagley. A witness reported seeing Coon in the boat. Another witness later saw him swimming after the boat, which floated away from him. Bystanders noticed him struggling in the water, so they found a canoe and set out to help him. He was located unconscious in the water, and taken to shore where they attempted life-saving measures until emergency personnel arrived. Coon was not wearing a personal flotation device at the time.

The Grant County Coroner’s Office ruled Coon’s death an accident.

Assisting at the scene were West Grant EMS, Bagley First Responders, Glen Haven First Responders, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The Wisconsin Department of NaturalResources is the primary investigating agency.