On Sunday afternoon, a 33 year old Phoenix man drowned while swimming in the Salt River. It is the 8th drowning or near drowning death at the lakes and rivers since May.
In this incident, Sheriff’s Lake Patrol deputies say Chandra Chheteri was apparently trying to swim across the river when witnesses nearby say he began calling for help. He only made it to the mid crossing point when he started to panic. No one was able to help him and Chheteri quickly disappeared beneath the water. Sheriff Joe Arpaio says his Search & Rescue Dive Team was called to the scene at approximately 2:20 pm. The divers recovered Chheteri’s body around 5 pm that afternoon.
It is unknown whether alcohol or drugs played a factor in the accident. No signs of trauma were apparent, and foul play is not suspected, Arpaio says.
“Someone is dying every week at either the lakes and or the river,” says Sheriff Arpaio. “At this rate, we are headed for a very bad year statistically speaking, despite all our efforts to warn and educate people of the dangers.”
In an effort to avert more drowning deaths, Arpaio ordered increase patrols to begin over the holiday weekend. Lake Patrol deputies and posse members began using their own boats and own planes as they joined the deputies in their effort to patrol the waterways.
Sheriff Arpaio said at the time, “I hate to say it, but someone will probably die this weekend on the water and I hope it’s not you.” Unfortunately this became a sad