Cedar City Man Drowns at Quail Creek Following Paddle Boarding Accident

A father from Cedar City drowned at Quail Creek State Park on Friday after a paddle boarding incident left him face down in the water. 

Pedro Castillo, 49, was camping with his wife and daughter in the park when they decided to go paddle boarding without a life jacket. 

Strong winds reportedly knocked the three people off their boards, and while the wife and daughter were able to make it to shore, Castillo wasn’t with them. 

Park officials said the man was face down in the water for about 30 seconds before he was pulled out with assistance from a ranger and bystander near the scene of the accident. 

The ranger attempted to resuscitate the man by giving him CPR, but their efforts were for naught as the man was declared dead shortly afterward at 5:17 p.m. 

According to statistics from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, an average of 31 people die from drowning each year, and about a quarter of those who drown in Utah are children. 

68% of drowning victims in the beehive state are male, and the most common location for drownings is in open water such as what happened with Castillo. 

The information provided also shows that children who live in Southern Utah are twice as likely to die from drowning, possibly due to the surplus of outdoor recreation and hot weather leading to pool time. 

State Park officials extended their condolences to Castillo’s family while reminding residents to wear their life jackets and to have a buddy while out in open water. Please remember to value your safety above all else when having fun in the water.