Lake Anna Drowning Victim Identified As Vienna Resident

VIENNA, VA — A Vienna man died in an apparent drowning at Lake Anna on Saturday, according to the Louisa County Sheriff's Office.

According to a sheriff's office news release, Patrick Byrnes, 21, of Vienna, had been visiting a friend at Lake Anna and was swimming near Old Mill Road in Mineral. He was last seen swimming to a floating chair twenty feet from a dock.

A search was conducted by the sheriff's office marine units, along with the Spotsylvania County sheriff's office, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Coast Guard Auxiliary, and Louisa and Spotsylvania fire departments. A Spotsylvania County dive team later located his body.

According to the sheriff's department, Byrnes was described as a strong swimmer. The body has been taken to the medical examiner.

Lake Anna, which includes a state park on the north side, is a popular summer destination about an hour from Northern Virginia. Another drowning had been reported weeks ago on July 12. The victim was a 50-year-old Alexandria resident, according to the Daily Progress.