High Winds Led to Drowning of 2 Men

Waves caused by high winds are being blamed for the deaths of two men who drowned Sunday in Castaic Lake when their fishing boat was swamped, authorities said.

“It was a freak accident,” said Mike Hargett, park superintendent at Castaic Lake. “We had 1-1 1/2 foot swells caused by winds blowing 15-25 m.p.h. . . . If it was not windy, it’s very unlikely they would have taken a wave over the bow.”

Leo Lenore, 50, and William Bunch, 17, both of Pasadena, disappeared in an area of the lake estimated to be 175 to 225 feet deep, said Lt. Jeff Springs of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The bodies have not been found.

The victims and two other men had been fishing for at least four hours Sunday when a strong wave hit their boat about 4:20 p.m.

“It appears that they went bow first into a wave and it came over the boat filling it with water and causing all on board to fall overboard,” Hargett said.

The accident was witnessed by a guard at the lake’s lifeguard headquarters who notified a rescue boat by radio. The boat arrived in three to five minutes but the two victims could not be found, Hargett said. Lifeguards rescued Ronnie Williams, 27, of Altadena and Derrick Potts, 31, of Duarte, who had also been on the boat.

“They were fully conscious when we pulled them out,” Hargett said. “Both of them were holding on to the side of the swamped boat.” The two survivors did not require hospitalization.

Hargett said the men were not wearing flotation vests. “State law does not require anyone to wear them,” he said.