Second Lake Michigan death in July reported

The second water-related death off the Leelanau County shoreline occurred yesterday.  Leelanau 911 received a call at 4:00 pm from a resident on N. Omigisi Beach Road in Leland Township.  The caller reported seeing a capsized kayak 100 yards off shore in Lake Michigan.  He reported seeing a man floating with a life preserver on and another man in the water who didn't have a personal floatation device.

Dispatch immediately paged out Leland Rescue, Leelanau Marine officers and requested Coast Guard air search support from Sault St. Marie.  Leland Rescue launched their rescue boat and began searching in the area the boaters were last seen in.  Deputies were sent to N. Omigisi Beach Road and met with the man in the kayak who was wearing a PFD who had made his way to shore.

Dale M. Hathaway, 81 of Northville, told deputies that he and Robert J. Womac, 70, of Belleville, went out on the kayak from Womac's summer home off of Leland Woods Drive in Leland Township.  The lake was relatively calm when they set out and Hathaway said he was wearing a PFD and Womac was not.  They paddled north along the shoreline for approximately 1 mile and at about the time they decided to return back, a wave capsized the kayak.  He said the wind had picked up and the lake was becoming choppier.  Hathaway was able to make it to shore uninjured after about 45 minutes in the water.

A Coast Guard helicopter that was doing a land search near Harbor Springs was diverted to assist in searching for Womac.  Leland Rescue and Sheriff's marine officers searched the area where the victim was last seen.  Sheriff's deputies and fire fighters searched the waters from shore for Womac.  Glen Arbor Fire also sent a rescue boat to assist.

At approximately 4:55 pm, after searching for 15 minutes, the Coast Guard helicopter located the victim about 100 yards off shore.  Marine officers and Leland rescue members retrieved the victim from11 feet of water.  He was transported to Leland Harbor by Glen Arbor rescue and then taken to Munson Medical Center by Leland ambulance.  Rescue personnel determined that resusitation was not a viable option.   

A post-mortem examination will be conducted by Leelanau County Medical Examiner Matthew Houghton, D.O. on Wednesday to determine cause of death.

This is the second water-related death in the Leelanau County waters of Lake Michigan in July.  On July 1, 8 year-old Stephen W. Osler of Ann Arbor died after he and his father capsized in a rented canoe on the return trip from S. Manitou Island.

Alpena County "really" wanted Traverse City man

Leelanau County deputies responded to the report of a man going through trash containers in Elmwood Township looking for metal Tuesday afternoon.  Tommy J. Flat, 40, was located and after a warrant check, deputies found out that they hit the jackpot.  Alpena County had 16 warrants for Flat in addition to two other warrants in other jurisdictions.  There were no local charges for Flat so he was picked up by Alpena County officers later in the day.

Wanted Lake Leelanau man arrested in Grand Traverse County

Ryan M. Colvin, 31, was arrested in Grand Traverse County Tuesday on a Leelanau County bench warrant.  Colvin failed to appear for a scheduled bench trial earlier in July on a charge of writing a Non-sufficient Funds Check under $100.  He remains jailed on $200 bond.

Unwanted patron arrested in Empire

A 31 year-old Empire man chose not to listen when he was asked to leave a local restaurant Tuesday evening.  Leelanau County deputies were sent to respond at 8:56 pm. for the report of an unwanted patron who was drunk and being confrontational with other patrons.  The man was asked to leave the establishment by employees but refused to do so.

Deputies arrived and the man became confrontational and disorderly with them outside of the business.  He was arrested for being a Disorderly Person, Driving while License Suspended and Malicious Destruction of Police Property after kicking out a patrol car window after his arrest.  He remains jailed pending bond being set by the magistrate.

MDOP of Police Property carries a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison.