Two brothers died and a girlfriend was left with burn marks after possible electrocution at a lake in Arizona, officials and family revealed Monday.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said at a press conference that Timothy Miller, 53, and his brother, Michael Miller, 50, went out with his girlfriend and wife on a boat over the weekend in Lake Pleasant, located north of Phoenix.
At around 6:30 pm Sunday, when the boat was docked at Scorpion Bay Marina, Timothy jumped into the water “for an unknown reason” and experienced what is believed to be some kind of electric current in the water, according to Sgt. Joaquín Enriquez.
“This is a complex case because we are not only dealing with the drowning problem but we are dealing with a possible electric current, it is what witnesses at the scene who were in the water are describing,” he said.
THE “ELECTROCUTION INCIDENT” OF LAKE ARIZONA LEAVES 1 DEAD, 2 CRITICALLY INJURED
Timothy’s brother noticed him in anguish and jumped into the water only to begin experiencing symptoms of a “possible electrical current,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Two brothers died after a possible electrocution incident at Scorpion Bay Marina in Lake Pleasant, Arizona, on Sunday night, officials said Monday.
(FOX10)
Timothy’s girlfriend also stepped in to help Michael, but she started experiencing the same symptoms.
When the 53-year-old man submerged, viewers pulled Michael and the girlfriend out. The sheriff’s deputy later arrived on the scene.
Michael was transported to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Timothy’s body was located by a diving team under a cover during the early hours of Monday morning.
The incident occurred at Scorpion Bay in Lake Pleasant, located north of Phoenix.
(iStock)
“At this time, we do not have any information that leads us 100 percent to say that is the cause, but we have found evidence that there may be an electrical problem that contributed to the drowning,” Enriquez said Monday.
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The brothers had been members of the navy for a month, according to FOX10.
The Peoria Fire Department said Sunday night crews were originally dispatched to a report of possible drowning in Scorpion Bay. Peoria Fire Captain Mario Bravo said that as more information came in during the response, officials discovered it was not just a drowning at the end of a pier in Scorpion Bay.
“It is believed to be more of an electrocution incident,” Bravo told reporters.
Two brothers died after an incident at a lake in Arizona on Sunday night after a possible electrocution incident, according to authorities.
(Lake Pleasant Regional Park)
Enriquez said the sheriff’s office is now testing and examining ships and docking areas at the marina as part of its investigation. The boat the brothers used is also being examined, although no problems were reported the day before the fatal incident.
“Our main goal is to find out what happened,” he said.
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Enriquez added that the woman who was pulled out of the water is recovering with non-fatal injuries.
Tanya Gaitan, the sister of Timothy’s girlfriend, told ABC15 that the group was at the lake for a birthday celebration when the fatal incident occurred.
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“He was screaming for help and he put his toe in the water,” he told the television station. “She has burn marks on her feet and legs and thank God that’s all, but she’s devastated to lose them both.”
The official cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Medical Examiner.
