Man Who Drowned Off Mantoloking Beach Suffered Seizure In The Water

By PATRICIA A. MILLER (Patch Staff)

The young New York man who drowned in the ocean off the Lyman Avenue beach in Mantoloking suffered an epileptic seizure before he disappeared into the surf on the Fourth of July, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said.

John A. Crimmins, 22, of Yonkers, who was an avid surfer and a lifeguard, was swimming with friends that afternoon when he suddenly ”disappeared from sight,” said spokesperson Al Della Fave. He was found about 20 minutes later in the surf in Bay Head. Attempts to resuscitate him through CPR were not successful, Della Fave said.

Detective Mitch Remig interviewed lifeguards and friends at the scene. He was told that Crimmins had a medical condition that caused seizures, Della Fave said.

“This apparently contributed to his death as per the findings of the Ocean County Medical Examiner, who conducted the autopsy...“ Della Fave said.

The postmortem performed by Dr. Lyla Perez determined the cause of death as drowning, with idiopathic epileptic seizures contributing to the event, Della Fave said.

“The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has closed this investigation and offers our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of John Crimmins,” he said.