Man riding craft with son dies at Mead

Monday, June 16, 2003 | 11:14 a.m.

A Father's Day outing at Lake Mead turned tragic Sunday with the drowning of a 38-year-old California man who had been riding a personal watercraft with his 8-year-old son, officials said.

After the two drove over a wave on the watercraft near Sand Island and Government Wash, David Harris apparently struck his head on the handlebars and fell into the water.

Although Harris was wearing a life jacket, he fell face forward into the water, and his son could not turn him over. So the boy headed back to the family's campsite on the watercraft to get help, Roxanne Dey, the park spokeswoman, said.

While the boy was trying to find his way back to the campsite, boaters found Harris. Park dispatchers received the call for help at 12:49 p.m.

A park volunteer tried to revive Harris, and paramedics followed up but Harris was pronounced dead at 1:20 p.m., Dey said.

She praised the boy for his courage. "He did an amazing job" considering the circumstances, Dey said.

The family was visiting Lake Mead from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Counselors took the boy and his family from the lake to an undisclosed location after the accident, Dey said.

Harris was the second of two people who died at area lakes this weekend.

In an accident at about 3 p.m. Saturday, a 25-year old Southern California man died after diving off a cliff in an area known as Gasoline Alley on Lake Mohave.

Officials said Kevin Niles did not surface after jumping into an estimated 45 to 50 feet of water.

Divers discovered his body about 38 minutes later, Dey said.

National Park Service rangers caution all visitors against cliff diving.

There have been a total of 16 fatal accidents at Lake Mead National Recreation Area this year including the two drownings this weekend.