By Tim Leeds/Havre Daily News/tleeds@havredailynews.com
A Havre man drowned Monday afternoon at Bear Paw Lake south of Havre, the Hill County Sheriff's Office said today.
Sheriff Greg Szudera said Hill County Search and Rescue divers found the body of John Haldemann III, 21, of Havre in about 8 feet of water in the lake about 8:15 p.m. Monday.
"It appears to be an accidental drowning," Szudera said.
A caller reported at 4:36 p.m. that a friend had been swimming and hadn't come back up from the water, Szudera said.
The sheriff's office responded and began a search, he said.
Havre Fire Chief Dave Sheppard said a Havre ambulance crew was dispatched to the scene and did some probing of the location Haldemann was reported to have been in, but could not locate him. Once the search and rescue team arrived shortly after 5 p.m., the ambulance crew returned to Havre.
Szudera said Haldemann was wearing jeans, shoes and a shirt, and the weight of his clothing may have contributed to the drowning.
Haldemann's body was taken to Northern Montana Hospital for a determination of the cause of death, Szudera said.
The sheriff's office is investigating the drowning, which is standard procedure in an accidental death, Szudera said.
The drowning is the second in Bear Paw Lake in two years, Szudera said.
Lyle Lee Tuma, 17, of Malta drowned in the lake on July 12, 2002, while on a fishing and camping trip in Beaver Creek Park.
