SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) — A 20-year-old Pima County corrections officer drowned in Patagonia Lake in Santa Cruz County Wednesday night. Search and rescue divers found his body Thursday morning.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene after reports of a drowning just after 7pm on Wednesday.
As daylight returned Thursday morning, search and rescue teams from Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties came together to search the water.
According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, multiple agencies assisted in the search, using specialized underwater search equipment and specially trained dogs.
Divers from Cochise County Search and Rescue found Brian Torres' body in about eight feet of water just before 10 a.m.
“He was in the exact same spot where witnesses last saw him,” Patagonia Lake State Park Superintendent Colt Alford said.
This is the first reported drowning at Lake Patagonia since 2016.
“It's always tragic,” Alford said.[Brayan Torres] He was here with his sister and friends, relieving himself from the day's fatigue… he was going to swim across. [the lake]when I turned around and came back, [drowning] It happened.”
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Torres just completed a one-year probationary period last week.
“He was a very young man,” Nanos said, “he had a lot of hopes. He wanted to be a deputy sheriff … he was taken from us way too soon.”
“We're just a family,” he added. “We say that all the time, but it's times like these that really remind us.”
Nanos thanked all the agencies that responded to the tragedy and said his thoughts are with Torres' family.
He acknowledged that Torres is the eighth Pima County corrections officer to die in the past six months and said that while the department has a wellness promotion team and a coworker support group, the team still needs to support each other.
Late Thursday, the lake's marinas and beaches reopened to the public.
But signs continue to warn swimmers: “No lifeguards on duty.”
“Know your swimming ability and your swimming level,” Alford advised, “and just be aware.”
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Ryan Fish I'm an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Ryan came to the Sonoran Desert from California's Central Coast after working as a reporter, sportscaster and weather forecaster in Santa Barbara. Ryan grew up in the Chicago suburbs and frequently visited family in Tucson. Email Ryan to share your story ideas and issues that are important to you. Ryan Fish@kgun9.com Or connect Facebook and Twitter.
