Body Of Missing Palo Alto Boater Found In Clear Lake

LAKE COUNTY - Lake County Dive Teams have recovered the remains of a Palo Alto man who apparently fell into the water Sunday at the Clearlake State Park Marina as he was tying up his boat.

According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the body of 59-year-old Caldwell Joseph Pitre of Palo Alto was found Monday by the Northshore Dive Team at approximately 11:00 a.m.

Lake County authorities say deputies responded a little after 8:00 p.m. Sunday to the Clearlake State Park Marina in Kelseyville for a male subject who had reportedly fallen into the water and not surfaced.

According to the sheriff's office, bystanders in the area had witnessed Pitre fall from his boat into the water which was next to the docks.

Deputies say that when they arrived, several people who witnessed the fall were in the water trying to locate the man.

Witnesses told authorities they saw Pitre pull into the dock area of the marina just as it was starting to get dark.

According to those witnesses, Pitre was leaning over the side of his boat and appeared to be tying the boat to the dock when he slipped and fell into the water.

Authorities with the sheriff's office say Pitre surfaced a couple of times and yelled for help, but as several people attempted to help the man, he disappeared below the surface and could not be located.

Deputies and park rangers say they searched the area of the marina using side scan sonar until approximately 1:45 a.m., when they were forced to scale back the search due to resource exhaustion and darkness.

At approximately 11:00 a.m., deputies say they were able to locate and mark an unknown image and requested the Northshore Dive Team.

At approximately 11:15 a.m., divers were able to locate Pitre and remove him from the water, according to the sheriff's office.

Caldwell Joseph Pitre’s cause of death is pending autopsy results.