Knox County man drowns in Lake Shelbyville boating accident

SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — A man from Knox County has died following a boating accident on Lake Shelbyville Sunday afternoon.

Brad Phegley, the Shelby County Coroner, said 32-year-old Tanner D. Alvarado was at the lake with family and friends when the accident occurred around 1 p.m. near the 9th Street boat ramp. Phegley said the surface of the lake was rough from high winds and Alvarado was thrown out of his boat when it hit a wave.

The waves prevented other members of Alvarado’s party, in another boat behind him, to rescue him and he subsequently drowned, Phegley said.

The waves also hampered efforts to locate Alvarado in the water by search and rescue teams. Phegley said the Shelby and Effingham County Dive Teams were among the agencies that responded, but the rocking of the sonar boat prevented a clear image of the lakebed.

It wasn’t until 7:15 p.m., when winds and the lake’s surface had calmed down, that Alvarado was found, pulled from the water and pronounced dead.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.