Coroner Identifies Man Who Drowned In Romeoville Pond

ROMEOVILLE, IL — A 30-year-old Romeoville man was pronounced dead early Tuesday after being pulled from a Romeoville retention pond. Lockport Township Fire District responded to a call of a person in the water just after midnight in the 1600 block of Asbury Lane, officials said. Lockport Township Deputy Fire Chief Frank Blaskey said two people were in kayaks on a large residential pond when both ended up in the water.

Lockport firefighters were able to help one person out of the water, but the second person, identified as Janusz Slaby, did not resurface, Blaskey said. Divers spent 90 minutes conducting an "aggressive search" of the water as part of rescue efforts before switching to recovery mode, he said. With the assistance of sonar and underwater video equipment, firefighters were able to locate Slaby, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Blaskey said.

Blaskey said firefighters from the MABAS 19 Water Rescue Team, Plainfield, Romeoville, Northwest Homer and Westmont fire departments assisted at the scene.

Romeoville police did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Image via Lockport Township Fire District