Man Drowns In Alfalfa County Lake

Johnnie Leon Hess, 55, drowned while attempting to swim from one shore to the other at a private lake in northwestern Oklahoma.

Sunday, August 23rd 2009, 1:16 pm

By: News On 6

NewsOn6.com

BYRON, OK -- Johnnie Leon Hess, 55, of Manchester drowned at about 8 p.m. Saturday in a private lake near Byron in Alfalfa County.

Witnesses say that Hess was at a party on a small, private lake when he said he would swim from one side of the lake to another. He went under and never resurfaced.

Lake Patrol recovered his body at about 9:45 a.m. Sunday. The Medical Examiner was notified and was on scene, according to a report by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Alfalfa County is located in northern Oklahoma.