PdC man drowns at Campion Boat Landing

On Aug. 2, at approximately 7:43 a.m., the Prairie du Chien Police Department was notified of a possible drowning at the Campion Boat Landing in Prairie du Chien at the Mississippi River.

Officers and Tri-State EMS were dispatched and found Donald R. Cavender, 54, of Prairie du Chien, under a fishing pier located at the landing. Tri-State staff and a police officer were able to free the man from the water with assistance by a citizen, who was fishing nearby with a boat, in efforts to bring the man to shore.

Life saving measures were initiated on scene and the man was transported to Crossing Rivers Health where he was pronounced dead.

According to witnesses at the fishing pier, the man was swimming in the river. Witnesses observed him enter the water and swim around the pier. After a short time of not seeing or hearing the man, witnesses began looking for him and located him submerged in the water. Previous health history is believed to be a contributing factor in the drowning.

The Prairie du Chien Police Department was assisted on scene by Tri-State EMS, the Prairie du Chien Fire Department and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department. The police department thanked the citizen for allowing them to utilize his boat. This is another example of how the work and effort of the police department would be very difficult without citizen contributions.