NEWS
Local drowns in lake
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Also by Megan Costello:
- High-rise on horizon for downtown (November 30, 2004)
- 27-story complex stirs urban growth debate (April 7, 2005)
- Judge dismisses drink special suit (April 8, 2005)
- Campus joins fight against cancer (April 21, 2005)
Related Stories:
- Another boater disappears (November 1, 2004)
- Police respond to report of drowned body (April 11, 2005)
- Paralyzed man dies in stream (November 12, 2004)
- Students rescued from Lake Mendota (October 27, 2003)
- When the lake freezes over (January 26, 2007)
by Megan Costello
Monday, October 11, 2004
For Philip Mumm, a late night swim in Lake Mendota turned into a tragedy.
Mumm and several friends were on a sailboat early Saturday morning after being in Downtown Madison.
Mumm, 24, stripped down to boxers and jumped into the lake, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Shortly after, he called out to friends for help but they were unable to reach him in time.
The Madison Fire Department responded to the drowning at 3:10 a.m. when a member on the boat called police with a cell phone. According to a release, the MFD responded with 16 personnel, a ladder, and scuba, engine and rescue companies.
The Madison Fire Department's lake rescue team and the Dane County Sheriff's lake rescue boat searched the lake until 4:30 a.m. They covered areas between Maple Bluff and the Memorial Union, according to a release.
The search is currently under control of the Dane County Sheriff's office. No body has yet been found.
Comment from the Dane County Sheriff's office was unavailable as of press time.
The sailboat was approximately 450 yards out from the UW shoreline when Mumm jumped in, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
It is unclear how much alcohol played a factor in the drowning
"Police don't know extent of alcohol involvement," Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said.
Drownings on Lake Mendota are not particularly common to Madison, but they do occur, he added.
"It's not something that happens every day; it's mostly random," Sgt. John Rife, MPD, said. "It happens though."
According to Verveer, there have not been recent incidents of drowning on Lake Mendota.
"There certainly is a fair amount of skinny dipping," Verveer said. "When you think about it, it's not the smartest decision in the world to jump into the lake when you've had a lot to drink."
With the water temperature at approximately 57 degrees on the surface, hypothermia can set in quickly at night. A combination of cold water and alcohol can have deadly affects on people near or on the water.
"There are tragic drownings [around the country], and it does seem like we're lucky here to not have the same thing happen more often," Verveer added.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 19 boating fatalities occurred in Wisconsin in 2002 and 20 in 2003.
A UW-La Crosse student Jared Dion, fell into the Mississippi River, April 10, 2004, and drowned after leaving downtown bars. Alcohol and cold water played a role in Dion's death.
Anonymous (October 11, 2004 @ 4:16pm):
COMMENT DELETED: Inappropriate language and/or content
Anonymous (October 11, 2004 @ 9:59pm):
COMMENT DELETED: Inappropriate language and/or content
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 8:53am):
I have never in my life come across people as insensitive, rude and horrible as the two of you. This is a son, a brother, a best friend, a PERSON! Have you no value for human life! Show some respect!!!!!
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 9:16am):
I happen to be a friend of Phil's and you're right, PHIL is a SON, a BROTHER, a BEST FRIEND, a BOYFRIEND, and a PERSON. He walked on earth just like EVERYONE else.
''What good is it to mourn his death?'' WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE IS YOUR HEART - you human? EVERY death is tragic.... EVERY ONE... no matter the case. I hope you two are ashamed of how you reacted to this story... can you imagine how you have made the parents feel? You can bet that myself, an extremely close friend, wont be the only friend or family member that will read these...
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 9:19am):
Can you control everything your friends do?
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 9:33am):
to the first to commenters:
I hope you can live with yourself after what you've written here on a human beings' death...
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 10:48am):
As a close friend I ask this. How the fuck could you, as a newspaper, allow these two assholes to respond in this manner? Does the description not say thoughtful, on-topic and RESPECTFUL?
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 12:24pm):
To the first commentor: Your comment is shallow and hints that you are bitter and unhappy. You talk like somebody who has never lost someone close before, regardless of the reason. As senseless as this loss may seem, I wouldn't wish it on you or anyone else. P.S. Soldiers go to war, and that's dangerous. Operating oil wells is dangerous too. People who die in these pursuits don't deserve mourning? If you want to be critical, write smarter.
To the second commentor: I can't believe you used "lol" and funeral in the same sentence. I hope you're just young, immature, and rude instead of a person with a corrupted spirit.
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 12:35pm):
Those FRIENDS have to live with this night for the rest of their lives, lets not add any guilt on top of that, that's not our place in life, even you who sounds so bitter and judgemental.
Lets not forget that he is a GRANDSON as well... who's grandma is on her deathbed as well... Let's have some common decency for the family who will have to mourn two deaths in the family. No one should ever have to bury their own children.
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 12:36pm):
My many sympathies to Philip's family and friends...
Anonymous (October 12, 2004 @ 5:12pm):
I could not stand having those first two comments on this website, they were, as mentioned before, disrespectful.
I called the newpaper and they have deleted the comments with their apologies...
