Tourist from Ohio dies at Charco El Hippie in Naguabo
A 33-year-old man visiting from Ohio died Wednesday afternoon after jumping into the natural pool in Naguabo, according to police and emergency reports.
The short version
- Telemundo Puerto Rico reported a man died Wednesday afternoon after being swept by a surge of water at Charco El Hippie in Naguabo
- El Nuevo Día reports the victim was a 33-year-old tourist from Ohio on vacation with his partner when a 9-1-1 call was received at 5:48 p.m.
- Police told El Vocero the man hit his head on a rock after jumping from a stone and was found dead at the scene
- Municipal Emergency Management and police units responded while the Homicide Division of the CIC in Humacao will investigate
Incident details
A tourist from Ohio died on Wednesday afternoon at Charco El Hippie in Naguabo. Telemundo Puerto Rico reported that the man was dragged by a surge of water while visiting the area with his partner, both residents of Ohio. The Municipal Office of Emergency Management responded to assist with rescue efforts.
According to El Nuevo Día, a 9-1-1 call was received at approximately 5:48 p.m. reporting that the man had apparently been swept away by a surge of water. Police later told the outlet that witnesses alleged the man jumped from one of the stones, did not resurface, became stuck among the rocks and appeared to have a blow to the head. The victim was on vacation with his partner.
Police response
El Vocero reported that the man died after allegedly hitting his head on a rock when he jumped into the pool. The emergency call was received around 5:48 p.m., mobilizing agents from the Naguabo district. The man's identity and age were not disclosed in that report.
Police agents are at the scene. Units from emergency and rescue services responded. The Homicide Division of the CIC in Humacao and the on-duty prosecutor will handle the investigation, El Vocero said.
Where the sources differ
All three sources agree the death occurred Wednesday afternoon at Charco El Hippie in Naguabo following a 9-1-1 call at approximately 5:48 p.m. Telemundo Puerto Rico described the man being dragged by a surge of water. El Nuevo Día first reported a possible water surge but later quoted police saying witnesses saw the man jump from a stone, fail to resurface, become stuck and appear to have a head injury; it identified him as a 33-year-old from Ohio on vacation with his partner. El Vocero reported the man died after hitting his head on a rock when jumping, without giving age or origin and stating he died at the scene. El Nuevo Día and El Vocero both mention police and rescue units responding, while Telemundo noted the Municipal Emergency Management office assisted.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not name the victim or provide further personal details beyond age, origin and that he was traveling with a partner. They do not state whether the body had been recovered at the time of publication, the exact cause of death, whether an autopsy has been scheduled, or any preliminary findings from investigators beyond witness accounts. Next steps after the involvement of the Humacao CIC Homicide Division and the on-duty prosecutor are not detailed.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Encuentran muerto a turista de Ohio en el charco El Hippie en Naguabo
- Reporting Turista fallece en el Charco El Hippie de Naguabo
- Reporting Encuentran muerto a turista de Ohio en el charco El Hippie en Naguabo
- Reporting Hombre muere tras golpearse la cabeza al lanzarse al charco El Hippie en Naguabo
How we checked this
Telemundo Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Día and El Vocero each reported on the death of the tourist at Charco El Hippie based on police information. The victim's age and Ohio residency appear only in El Nuevo Día, while the precise description of jumping and hitting his head rests primarily on statements given to El Nuevo Día and El Vocero.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.