Teen, rescuer drown at Huron River dam Last Updated: May 23. 2011 10:37AM Milford— The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified two people who drowned Saturday at the base of the Huron River dam. Police said turbulent water in the dam contributed to the drownings. John Przydatek, 16, of Harrison Township and Douglas Killingbeck, 48, of Milford were pronounced dead at the scene. The teen and a friend were in a rented canoe when it capsized in turbulent water about 1 p.m. Saturday, witnesses told police. The Milford man put on a life jacket and tried to rescue them with his canoe, but it also overturned, police said. Emergency responders pulled the man and teen both out but were unable to revive them. Another teen in the incident had minor injuries and was able to make it to shore, police said. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110523/METRO02/105230387/Teen–rescuer-drown-at-Huron-River-dam#ixzz1NCrJtEzz Two drown in Milford’s Huron River Dam Published: Sunday, May 22, 2011 By DAVE PHILLIPS Of The Oakland Press Two men drowned Saturday afternoon in the Huron River Dam in Milford. A 16-year-old boy from Harrison Township was canoeing when his canoe overturned in the water, which police describe as “turbulent,” around 12:55 p.m. Sensing that the boy was in danger, a 48-year-old Milford man went in to attempt to rescue him in a separate canoe, which also capsized. Emergency responders pulled both men from the water and began resuscitation efforts, but were unable to revive either person. Witnesses told police that the teen and a 16-year-old friend were in a rented canoe that capsized when it neared the base of the dam. The other teen was able to make it to safety, suffering minor injuries. The man who attempted to rescue the teen was wearing a life jacket and entered the water in his own canoe, but his canoe also overturned in the water. The victims were taken to the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office. Their identities have not yet been released, pending the notification of family members. Contact staff writer Dave Phillips at 248-745-4631 ordave.phillips@oakpress.com. Follow him on Twitter @dave_phillips1. Milford drowning victims identified Published: Sunday, May 22, 2011 By DAVE PHILLIPS Of The Oakland PressOfficials have released the names of two men who drowned in Milford on Saturday. Douglas Killingbeck, 48, of Milford, drowned while attempting to rescue John Przydatek, 16, of Harrison Township around 1 p.m. Saturday. Police said Przydatek had been in a rented canoe with another 16-year-old when the boat capsized in the Huron River Dam. Seeing the danger the teens were in, Killingbeck put on a life jacket, got in his personal canoe and attempted to rescue Przydatek, but his canoe also overturned. Emergency responders pulled both Przydatek and Killingbeck out of the turbulent waters, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. Two people drown in the Huron River in Milford Posted: 05/21/2011 MILFORD, Mich. (WXYZ) – Family &friends are remembering two victims who lost their lives in the Huron River tragedy.An experienced canoeist, Doug Killingbeck, reacted quickly when he saw two young men capsize in their canoe on Saturday.He put on his life jacket and jumped into the raging water near the base of the dam. One teen survived, but the 48-year-old Milford man and 16-year-old John Przydatek from Harrison Township were pulled under by the strong current and died. Przydatek was part of a camping trip with Knox Presbyterian Church. Przydatek best friend was also in the canoe, he struggled but was able to make it safely to shore. The other teen in Przydatek’s boat was able to make it to safety with minor injuries. Both victims were taken to the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office. Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized. Contact staff writer Dave Phillips at 248-745-4631 ordave.phillips@oakpress.com. Samaritan, teen drown in Milford May. 23, 2011 Written by Elisha Anderson DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER John Przydatek was 16. Doug Killingbeck was 48. Visitation for Doug Killingbeck will be 2-9 p.m. Tuesday at Lynch &Sons Funeral Home, 404 E. Liberty, Milford.A funeral service will begin at noon Wednesday at Christ Lutheran Church, 620 General Motors Road, Milford. Visitation will precede the service at 10:30 a.m.Burial will be in Milford Memorial Cemetery. People who knew Doug Killingbeck say they aren’t surprised he risked his life when he saw a teenager in trouble on the river.The 48-year-old tried to rescue John Przydatek, 16, of Harrison Township after the canoe the teen was in capsized Saturday near the base of the Huron River Dam in Milford. Both drowned in the choppy waters, the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office said Sunday.John’s family was making funeral arrangements Sunday. John was canoeing as part of a trip with Knox Presbyterian Church in Harrison Township, family spokesman Rob Ritts said.John was a junior at L’Anse Creuse High School, was on the wrestling team and liked camping. “He touched a lot of hearts for the little bit of time he had on this planet,” Ritts said.Michael Przydatek, John’s father, said his son was looking forward to getting his driver’s license this summer and was an avid outdoorsman who had been to Alaska. A 16-year-old friend who was with John was cut and scraped, but was able to make it safely to shore, Milford Police Chief Tom Callahan said. Killingbeck was described by family members and friends as a person who would help anyone.”He was without a doubt a selfless guy,” his brother-in-law John Kilby said. Family members said he knew the dangers of the water and that he was taking a risk.Killingbeck wore a life jacket, but the force of the water stripped it off him, police said.”He knew what he was getting into before he did it,” Kilby said. “I’m sure he probably envisioned: ‘What if that was my kid?’ “The devoted father of Brianna, 15, and Natalie, 12, enjoyed spending time with his family. Karen Killingbeck, his wife of 17 years, said her husband was a Christian and never missed his daughters’ events, including dance, soccer, track, basketball and volleyball.”He held the whole family together,” she said. Killingbeck had been canoeing since he was 17. In the mid-1980s, he canoed the AuSable River Canoe Marathon as an amateur and placed fourth, his family said.”His passion was being out on the river on a canoe,” Kilby said.In March, he participated in the Klondike Canoe Race in Oscoda with Ed Adams of Fenton, 77.”Doug always looked out for the other person,” Adams said.Killingbeck loved the Huron River, and part of the reason the family moved to Milford was to be close to it.”He will always be a hero in our hearts,” Karen Killingbeck said. Contact Elisha Anderson: 313-222-5144 oreanderson99@freepress.com Canoeing teen’s drowning death in Huron River holds a lesson for others Jeff Tautolo of Clinton Township tried to save John Przydatek, 16. / JARRAD HENDERSON/Detroit Free Press BY ELISHA ANDERSON DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER The force of the water can be strong enough to tear holes in an aluminum canoe. Recent rain has increased the volume of water flowing through the dam, which adds to the turbulence. / Milford Police Department Jeff Tautolo of Clinton Township is happy to be alive: “I’m the lucky one,” he said. He would like to see more precautions around the dam, such as wire barricades. “I think the wires would show how threatening it is,” he said. / JARRAD HENDERSON Detroit Free Press As they got closer to the base of the dam on the Huron River in Milford, Jeff Tautolo noticed the water was turning white. The 17-year-old had second thoughts about getting closer. But he and his best friend, John Przydatek, 16, continued until it was too late to turn back. The power of the water was more than they bargained for Saturday afternoon. The teens, on a camping trip with a church group, just wanted to go near the base so one could touch the water coming over the dam with his oar. Signs warn of danger in the area, but Jeff said the waterfall didn’t look dangerous. Soon, Jeff knew they were in trouble. The canoe flipped. They started spinning with the boat like clothes in a dryer. “I’d try to stand, but I couldn’t,” he said. “I was thinking I was going to die.” Jeff managed to stand on the canoe and reach for John, and the two touched. But Jeff fell off the canoe, lost contact with his friend and blacked out. Somehow, Jeff made it out of the river alive. But John didn’t, and neither did an experienced canoeist who rushed to help. Now, Jeff’s family hopes what happened that day can be a lesson for others. Milford considers new signs, fines to prevent drownings Milford officials are evaluating possible changes around the Huron River dam, where two people drowned and another person nearly drowned Saturday. “Everything is on the table. We haven’t really ruled out anything,” Village Manager Arthur Shufflebarger said. The dam’s dangers are made clear on several signs warning of possible death that are posted around the area, but more measures are being discussed to deter people from entering the area, Shufflebarger said. Some of the possibilities include fining people who go beyond a certain area, adding a barrier or installing different signs. On Saturday, John Przydatek, 16, of Harrison Township died after he was sucked into turbulent waters after getting too close to the base of the dam in a canoe. Doug Killingbeck, 48, of Milford tried to rescue him and also drowned. In a separate incident Saturday, a 30-year-old kayaker from Commerce Township nearly drowned. He was pulled from the water by other kayakers and taken to a hospital. He has since been released. “It was a tragic series of events. One after another,” Milford Police Sgt. Matt Brumm said. Police estimate that one drowning or near-drowning occurs annually near the dam. Water’s power surprised teens Jeff Tautolo, 17, of Clinton Township, who was in the canoe with his friend John, said he would like to see added precautions, such as wire barricades, near the dam. “I think the wires would show how threatening it is,” Jeff said. Jeff said he didn’t realize how powerful the water at the base of the dam was until it was too late. The two L’Anse Creuse High School juniors — along with two other friends — broke off from other members of the church group while on a weekend camping trip. They headed toward the dam. “I thought it would just spit us out right away,” Jeff said. “Once we got close, it started sucking us in.” The canoe tipped, and the teens were in the water, fighting for their lives. “It was a struggle just to get some air,” he said. The turbulence pulled them down. Jeff tried to stand but couldn’t. At one point, he got into a position where he thought he could help John and reached out for him, yelling, “John! John!” The two touched, but they couldn’t hold on. The force of the water ripped the teens’ rented aluminum canoe in half, police said. Neither was wearing a life jacket. “I was thinking I was going to die,” Jeff said. He blacked out and woke up in a place where he could get out. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound wrestler was so weak, he could barely stand. The strength of the current had ripped off his shorts. Killingbeck, who was in the area, rushed in to help John. He knew the dangers, his family said. The water ripped off his life jacket. Police say Killingbeck’s actions were heroic. “He gave the ultimate sacrifice of his life, trying to save someone that he didn’t even know,” Brumm said. What others need to know The recent rain increased the volume of water flowing through the dam, which caused the turbulence to increase drastically, Brumm said. Despite the dangerous area near the dam, other parts of the river in the Milford area are safe for novice canoeists and kayakers, and several thousand people use the river every year, said Alan Heavner, owner of Heavner Canoe and Kayak Rental in Milford. Jeff escaped his ordeal with a broken nose, swollen and cut face and bruises on his leg. He will be a pallbearer at John’s funeral today. He met Killingbeck’s family earlier this week and plans to work with them to promote boating safety. “I’m the lucky one,” he said. Contact Elisha Anderson: 313-222-5144 Written by Aileen Wingblad Jim and Connie Cipponeri look over the dam at the turbulent waters, which claimed the lives of two canoers on Saturday. / Aileen Wingblad The death of two canoeists and serious injury of one kayaker in two separate incidents near a dam along the Huron River in Milford on Saturday have officials evaluating whether or not additional safety measures are needed for the prohibited section of the river where the accidents occurred.The first incident, which happened shortly before 1 p.m., claimed the life of 16-year-old John Przydatek of Harrison Township, who died after his canoe flipped in the rapidly swirling current near the dam, which is part of the village’s wastewater treatment system. Milford resident Douglas Killingbeck, 48, described as an expert canoeist, was killed after leaping into the water in an attempt to save the teenager. He, too, was trapped below the surface by the strong turbulence and drowned.”He gave his life trying to do the best he could to help someone out,” said Milford Police Sgt. Matt Brumm. Police said Przydatek and a 16-year-old companion, who were on a canoe outing with a church group, ignored warning signs and intentionally paddled into the foaming waters on the western side of the dam. After their canoe flipped, both boys were drawn under the surface. One of them was tossed to calmer waters and was able to climb out. He sustained facial lacerations and bruising but required no emergency treatment at the scene.Milford firefighters, outfitted with water rescue suits and tethered to a cable, eventually recovered both bodies after they surfaced within an hour. Resuscitation efforts began immediately but were unsuccessful, said Milford Fire Chief Larry Waligora.”Firefighters started CPR and did their best to revive them, but they had just been in the water too long,” he said. Przydatek and Killingbeck were pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters also recovered the teens’ and Killingbeck’s life jackets in the river, apparently torn off by the strong current Waligora said. Both canoes were demolished. Several hours later — moments after police cleared that portion of the river for boaters — a 30-year-old kayaker from Commerce Township narrowly escaped death after paddling into the same turbulence near the dam and flipping into the water. His companions were able to pull him to safety and performed CPR before emergency personnel arrived. He was transported to a hospital where he was placed in the intensive care unit. He was expected to survive.Brumm said the kayaker admitted he had purposely headed toward the turbulence at the base of the dam. He was not wearing a life jacket, and alcohol was a factor in the incident, Brumm said.To deter boaters from the prohibited area, prominent signs direct boaters to portage watercraft over the dam and then reenter the water several yards beyond the dam. A cable stretches across the river as it approaches the dam, but there is no physical barrier preventing people from heading back toward the swirling waters at the base of the dam on the other side where the accidents occurred. That could change based on results of talks Milford officials are having in the wake of Saturday’s tragedies, explained Arthur Shufflebarger, Village of Milford manager.”We’re entering in discussions about this and we are going to evaluate what other possibilities there are,” Shufflebarger said. “We’ve tried various things over the years — but signage is the biggest thing.”Years ago, fencing and cabling were used on the western side of the dam to discourage boaters who might be tempted by the swirling water, “but that wasn’t very effective,” he said.”If people want to put themselves in that area of danger, they are going to do it,” Shufflebarger said. “At some point, people have to be responsible, as well.”The signage is not getting the points out. It specifies death, to stay out of (there),” he said.The decision on what — if any — changes need to be made will start at the local level. It’s possible state or county officials could be tapped for suggestions, he said.The heavy rainfall the area has experienced this spring adds to the depth of the river as well as the turbulence at the base of the dam, Shufflebarger added. “The hazard is multiplied. The power that is generated, the damage that can be done is kind of awesome. “The day following the drownings, New Hudson residents Jim and Connie Cipponeri had stopped by the dam while walking along the nearby Milford hike-bike trail and agreed additional warning measures should be taken by village officials. “There’s got to be a better way, with a tragedy like that,” Jim Cipponeri said. “The signs are good but some people just don’t listen. I’m no expert, but maybe some ropes or a string — just enough to get people to notice.”Alan Heavner, who owns a canoe and kayak rental business in Milford, noted that it’s not the river that’s unsafe. “The problem is the dam and people purposely paddling into it,” he said.Heavner added that he was horrified by Saturday’s accidents. “In all my years in business, I never saw anything like it.”The village has “done a good job over the years” marking the dam as dangerous, he said.Heavner, as well as Ray Gully, who owns another canoe livery in the village, posted employees at the dam on Sunday warning canoeists and kayakers to stay away from the prohibited area. awingblad@hometownlife.com | (248) 685-1507, Ext. 261