PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a man was diving to retrieve golf balls out of a golf course pond and did not resurface.
The St. Johns Fire Rescue pronounced the victim, who has not been identified, as deceased at the scene.
A cause of death has not been confirmed.
Christy Waldenmaier, a neighbor who lives near the pond, says its not usual to see people in the water searching for golf balls.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the times you go back and analyze the accident it comes down to, most of the time, diver error,” said Dan Michelke, a diving expert with First Coast Divers.
“We just haven’t. You don’t see many people climbing in the lagoon to look for golf balls. If so, it’s usually in a controlled environment,” Waldenmaier said.
Action News Jax reached out to Ponte Vedra Inn & Club to see if the man was an employee and we are awaiting a response.
Michelke says this is a reminder to take precautions when diving.
“Regardless of the dive environment you find yourself in, it doesn’t matter if it was a 5 to 6 foot retention pond that he was collecting golf balls versus 100 foot wreck dive off the coast of Jacksonville. It’s all the same,” Michelke said.
A viewer sent Action News Jax photos of SJSO vehicles responding to the Lagoon Course at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club.
Action News Jax contacted SJSO about the investigation and was told the following:
“There was an individual diving to clean a pond of golf balls and the individual was found unresponsive. Fire Rescue pronounced the individual deceased. An investigation is underway.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.