Man Who Jumped Into Fox River After Not Paying Restaurant Tab Found Dead

ALGONQUIN, IL -- A 29-year-old Carpentersville man who jumped into the Fox River while fleeing a restaurant after failing to pay his tab has been found dead, authorities said Saturday morning. The man has been identified as Ernest Prentic and his body was found in the Fox River, according to a Saturday morning news release from the Algonquin Police Department. The discovery came following an at least day-long search along the Fox River.

Prentic reportedly jumped into the Fox River after fleeing Nero's Restaurant, at 300 Eastgate Court in Algonquin, at about 9:20 p.m. Thursday after skipping out on paying his bill. Witnesses said they saw him go into the river near Route 62 and North River Road and was swept over the dam at the Route 62 bridge.

• Sign Up for Algonquin-LITH Patch Newsletters and Breaking News Updates
  

Divers and officers immediately started searching for the man and multiple fire departments from surrounding communities also responded to assist at the scene.

• Search Underway for Man Who Went Over Fox River Dam in Algonquin
  

Police on Saturday morning sent out the following statement regarding the discovery of Prentic's body:

The subject reported as jumping in the river was found in the river, deceased, and positively identified as Prentic, Ernest 29 y/o from Carpentersville,IL. The body was turned over to the Kane County Coroner’s office. This matter is still being investigated by the Algonquin Police Department.

Authorities did not indicate when or where Prentic's body was found. But they did post the following update, after posting a photo of Prentic earlier in the day and requesting the public's help in locating him, on the Algonquin Police Department Facebook page Friday evening:

The Lake and McHenry County Scanner Facebook page reported a water recovery occurred on Friday afternoon not far from where Prentic reportedly jumped into the Fox River.

The incident remains under investigation by the Algonquin Police Department.

Photo via Shutterstock