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Spokane man's body pulled from Lake Cd'A

| July 14, 2015 6:05 AM

Kootenai County Sheriff's Office divers recovered the body of a Spokane man from Lake Coeur d'Alene Monday, following the report of a driverless boat.

The boat's owner, Thomas M. Fritz, 63, was discovered deceased, entangled in downrigger lines in approximately 35 feet of water.

The incident occurred in the area of Mowry State Park, near the southern end of the lake. Deputies were called to the scene just after 1 p.m. after receiving a report that a boat was found, unoccupied.

Deputies were told the fishing boat was observed going in circles near East Point on Lake Coeur d’Alene for approximately 20-30 minutes. The witness told deputies he and a friend went out to the boat and found it was not occupied, but there were fishing and downrigger lines in the water. The two men took the boat to the Mowry State Park dock and secured it until deputies arrived.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Recreation Safety Section is currently handling the death investigation. Autopsy and toxicology results will not be available for several weeks.