SMITHVILLE, Mo. (AP) - A 22-year-old Kansas City, Kan., man is dead after attempting to swim across part of Smithville Lake and not being able to make it.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's water patrol division identified the drowning victim as Julio Mendoza, whose body was found around 11:20 a.m. Sunday near the Camp Branch swimming beach.
The water patrol says the man was last seen around 10 a.m. when he tried to swim from a camping area to the beach.
A woman who saw Mendoza struggling tried to help him, but started having problems and had to get help from another person to keep from drowning, herself.
Investigators say it doesn't appear that alcohol played a role in Mendoza's drowning.