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Fisherman found dead in Lancaster lake [updated]

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About 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, firefighters reported that the body was located in the water and brought to the shoreline. [Image by APRIL JENKINS]
LANCASTER – The body of a fisherman who jumped into a lake at Apollo Community Regional Park in Lancaster Saturday afternoon but failed to resurface was located more than two hours later, authorities said.

The man was reported missing about 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at the park in the 4500 block of West Avenue G, Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Melanie Flores said.

Four divers and Urban Search and Rescue teams in boats and helicopters searched for the missing man, fire officials said.

The rescue operation was changed to body recovery at 4:39 p.m., Flores said.

About 5:15 p.m. firefighters reported that the body was located in the water and brought to the shoreline.

The man’s name will be released pending notification of next of kin, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. Authorities have not yet determined why the fisherman jumped into the lake, officials said. No further information on the incident was immediately available.

UPDATE: The fisherman has been identified as 58-year-old Darryl Wayne Mooney. The exact cause of his death is pending completion of an autopsy, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office.

Divers and Urban Search and Rescue teams in boats assisted in the search. [APRIL JENKINS]
A sheriff’s helicopter also assisted in the search, which was changed to body recovery around 4:39 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17.[APRIL JENKINS]
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10 comments for "Fisherman found dead in Lancaster lake [updated]"

  1. Darryl was a friend of mine. Not sure why he dove in but I can assure you that It wasn’t drug or alcohol related.

    • the photos really don’t show the body and photos often accompany a news piece.

    • maybe he assumed it was shallow?
      water is deeper in some areas than others, tons of slippery algae. Perhaps he underestimated the water? Or medical emergency? what ever the case, very sad.
      Condolences to his family.

    • Went in after…can’t guess what but people think things they drop are too important to lose all the time…found out the bottom is steeper than he expected and covered with slick algae…fell and hit his head.

      I have no idea what really happened, but I know Apollo Park’s lakes and that’s a plausible theory.