Mesa man drowns during boat launch in Michigan, troopers say

OTSEGO COUNTY, MI (3TV/CBS 5) -- Michigan State Police says a 78-year-old man from Mesa died while launching his boat on a lake Monday evening.

According to authorities, troopers were called out to Dixon Lake in Bagley, about a three-hour drive north of Detroit. Investigators believe that Howard Tom Caswell and his son, who lives in nearby Gaylord, were launching their boat to go fishing.

While Caswell’s son was parking the truck and trailer, troopers say the boat began drifting away from the dock and Caswell got in the water to go after it. At some point, he went under and his son called for help. MSP troopers and area conservation officers later found Caswell in the lake, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

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