USF student drowns
A USF student drowned while swimming in the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Marion County, on Saturday, according to a police report.
Billy J. Elias-Carrero, a 22-year-old from Rincon, Puerto Rico, did not resurface after he dove into the river.
After being called by students, rescue workers found Elias-Carrero approximately 50 feet from the shore. They attempted resuscitation and administered CPR. Elias-Carrero was taken to the emergency room at Timber Ridge Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 2:47 p.m., the report said.
Capt. Dennis Strow, a spokesman for Marion County Sheriff’s Office, said he could not comment on what might have caused the drowning but said there was no sign of trauma to the body.
“We’ve not heard back on the results of the autopsy,” said Strow. “We do not suspect any foul play whatsoever. He was over here for the summer taking computer science classes. A group of students from different disciplines had come together to spend the day.”
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by University Police, which interviewed students that had left before being interviewed by local police.
Strow said the results of the autopsy would likely be released today. Strow added that he will be interviewing Elias-Carrero’s mother, who is in the United States, to find out if Elias-Carrero could swim.
The Rainbow River is a popular sport for canoeing, tubing and other activities.
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