Man Drowns at Douglas Lake Campground Swimming Area

A man drowned at a Douglas Lake campground swimming area on Monday afternoon.

The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office responded to a possible drowning call at the Douglas Dam Headwater Campground swimming area about 4:40 p.m. on June 15, 2015.

A witness at the scene told Sheriff’s Officers that the victim was swimming in the campground’s designated swimming area, swam to the deepest end, and was then found floating outside the roped off swimming area minutes later.

According to Sevier County Sheriff Ron Seals, other swimmers pulled the victim to shore where CPR was initiated and continued until EMS personnel arrived. EMS transported the victim to LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville where he was pronounced dead.

The identity of the victim, a 26-year-old Hispanic male, is being withheld pending notification of family members. The drowning is under investigation and at this time but no foul play is suspected. The victim was not wearing a flotation device.

Douglas Dam Headwater Campground is located on Tennessee Valley Authority TVA dam reservation land at Douglas Lake and is managed by Recreation Resource Management.

UPDATED Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 1:45 p.m. with the following:

The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man who drowned at the Douglas Dam Headwater Campground swimming area as Sollo Ramirez of Sevierville. Ramirez was swimming with friends when he swam to the deep end, and was then seen a few minutes later floating outside the designated swimming area. He may have been submerged as long as 10 minutes before other swimmers pulled him to shore and CPR was initiated. An autopsy has been ordered and the investigation is ongoing at this time.