Wise County Sheriff's Department
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July 14, 2008

   At approximately 10:00 pm Saturday evening July 12, 2008 Wise County Sheriff’s Dispatch was notified by Texas Department of Parks & Wildlife Game Warden Chris Dowdy of a possible drowning occurring on a private lake just off Jay Kelley Lane near the Wise – Montague County line.

   Wise County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the scene along with Wise County  Investigator Jerry Demoss.  Once on the scene Investigators, through the witnesses accounts determined that around 8:00 pm on Saturday July 12, 2008 Gonzalo Salazar Rodriguez with two other family members had been fishing on a small John boat in the  private lake.  While fishing Rodriguez stood up to reel in his line causing the boat to cap-size.  All three individuals were able to get up on top of the over turned boat.  According to one of the involved witnesses they were stranded on the top of the boat for over an hour.  Then Rodriguez decided to swim for shore in an effort to get help for those remaining on the over turned boat due to darkness approaching.  As he swam to shore he disappeared.   An attempt to find  Rodriguez was made that night and then postponed until 6:00 am the next morning (Sunday July 13, 2008) when it would resume.  Divers from the Alvord Fire Department found the deceased approximately 75 to 100 feet from the shoreline.  Wise County Justice of the Peace Judge Mark Autry pronounced the victim deceased at the scene.  The victim was identified as Gonzalo Salazar Rodriguez W/M Dob 01/27/1973 from Dallas, Texas.  Jones funeral home transported the deceased to the Dallas County Medical Examiners office for an autopsy. 

   Assisting WCSO was Wise & Montague County Game Wardens, Bowie Fire Department, Alvord Fire Department, Sunset Fire Department.