SEBASTIAN — A Sebastian man drowned after deputies said he went for a swim in the Indian River Lagoon and did not resurface. The man – identified as 33-year-old Robert Charles Richter – beached his boat on an island along the Indian River Lagoon, not far from his dock, before he entered the water on Sunday.
Officials found Richter’s body floating in the lagoon early Monday, reports show.
“He jumped into the water to swim,” said Capt. Joe Abollo, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. Abollo described the occurrence as an accidental drowning.
The incident prompted a multiagency search involving Indian River County Fire Rescue, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce.
First responders were dispatched following reports of a possible drowning shortly after 8:30 p.m. Sunday at an island just east of Sebastian, said Steve Greer, assistant fire chief with Indian River County Fire Rescue. Officials learned that Richter traveled in the boat from his dock at 110th Place to the nearby island cove, reports show.
An incident report showed that Richter was headed to meet a friend. The events that took place immediately after were heavily redacted from the report.
At some point, Richter went into the water to swim, according to deputies and conservation commission officials.
Nicholas Strasburg, petty officer 3rd Class with the U.S. Coast Guard, said fire rescue notified them about 9 p.m. that a person was missing near Rope Swing Island. Strasburg said Coast Guard crews used boats to scan the water.
Greer said fire rescue crews searched the area using a grid pattern and initially did not find anyone around the boat. First responders canvassed the vicinity by land, air and water.
Richter’s body surfaced about 12:39 a.m. Monday, reports show. Richter was pronounced dead at the scene by law enforcement, Greer said.
“There were no signs of trauma on his body,” Abollo said. Abollo said deputies were waiting on Richter’s autopsy and toxicology results.
Sunday night had east southeast winds at 3 mph, said Jared Heil, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne. The skies were clear and the temperature dipped to the mid-70s.
“There was less than 10 mph winds all (Sunday) evening. Very light winds,” Heil said.
The incident remains under investigation.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
