Coroner IDs Man Who Drowned While In Chain O' Lakes

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The Lake County Coroner's Office has identified a 25-year-old man who died while attempting to swim across a channel on the Chain O' Lakes early Sunday as Anthony Mendoza, 25, of Kenosha Wisconsin.

Results from an autopsy conducted Monday shows Mendoza died from drowning, according to the Lake County Coroner's Office.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office was called to the "long channel" located between Petite Lake and Spring Lake at about 1:05 a.m. to search for the man, who went underwater while trying to swim across the channel.

Investigators say Mendoza was likely heavily intoxicated after returning to a home in the 25100 block of West Forest Drive in unincorporated Lake Villa from a birthday party. After getting back, he jumped from a pier into the water with his clothes on and swam to shore.

A relative helped him get his wet clothes off and took him to bed, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

A short time later, the man left his bed, jumped into the water again and tried to swim across the channel, according to police. Authorities were called to the scene after he went underwater.

The sheriff's office's marine unit and Lake Villa Fire Protection District responded and searched for hours, using a drone to aid in the search. At about 6:30 a.m., Mendoza's body was found in the water.

The incident remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office marine unit.