Highland Teen Drowns and ODNR Officer Dies After Rescue Attempt On Broken Ice at Rocky Fork Lake

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A Highland County teenager drowned and an officer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources died from a medical emergency Tuesday evening after an attempted rescue when two teens broke through the ice at Rocky Fork State Park Lake.

ODNR officials say the incident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The 16-year-old drowning victim was a female and the ODNR Officer was identified as Jason Lagore. The name of the teenage girl has not been released. Her body was recovered at approximately 11;00 P.M. Tuesday.

A 13-year-old boy rescued himself from the ice and water and was taken to a hospital for treatment of hypothermia. His condition was not known.

During the four-hour rescue, Natural Resource Officer Jason Lagore suffered a medical emergency and was taken to Highland District Hospital in Hillsboro, where he was pronounced dead.

In honor of the life and service of Ohio Department of Natural Resources Officer Jason Lagore, Governor DeWine has ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds in Highland County, and at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus. Flags should remain lowered until sunset on the day of Officer Lagore’s funeral.

All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state may fly U.S. and Ohio flags at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period. 

This order will run concurrently with yesterday’s order to lower flags in honor of the more than 500,000 Americans who died due to COVID-19. Flags on public buildings and grounds in Highland County and at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes State Office Tower should remain lowered after February 26, 2021, if Officer Lagore’s funeral has not yet taken place.