Skip to content

Breaking News

Lebanon kayaker drowns in creek
Lebanon kayaker drowns in creek
Author
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:

A Lebanon man drowned Saturday afternoon in a kayaking accident on Swatara Creek near Jonestown, Lebanon County, state police said.

According to troopers at Jonestown:

Perry E. Ratcliffe Jr., 36, was in a group of about 14 kayakers traveling south on the creek.

The group paused during the heavy afternoon thunderstorm and continued after the rain passed.

The group floated over a low-head dam west of Jonestown when Ratcliffe was pulled under the rapids of the dam. The other kayakers pulled him out of the water and performed CPR.

Ratcliffe was then transported to Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon, where he was pronounced dead.

The death is under investigation.