Two fatalities at Harvard Mine, California

[Dragon Down]

...
3. And to make the comparison, we need to know how many active cheerleaders there are.
...
- Ken

OK.. you guys work on the rest of the info, I'll get right on #3.

 

[Ken Kurtis]

If you don't talk to them, you won't be misquoted or misinterpreted

True.

But then what you get, especially if there's litigation involved, is the plaintiff's attorney saying that it was all the fault of the shop/instructor/operator and the diver made no errors, etc., etc. And your silence means there's no counterpoint to that and an impression begins to form in the lay public's mind.

I understand why the advice from the insurance companies and the training agencies is to say nothing to anyone other than "Please contact my attorney" (which makes us looks like we're hiding something IMHO). There have been a couple of cases that I've been involved with (as an expert) that played out in the media and the information being fed was one-sided. I think it does us, as an industry, more harm than good.

- Ken

 

[Tortuga68]

The person quoted had nothing to do with the incident

 

[csholer]

You know what comes up as a top dangerous sport? cheerleeding. 20000 injuries a year.

we also need to quantify how many cheerleaders become infected with a parasitic organism that feeds off their bodies, then forces it's way out only to run wild in society.... just saying...it's a risk in their sport

 

[csholer]

lab work is still pending... let ya know when i do.

 

[rigdiver]

lab work is still pending... let ya know when i do.

A friend that worked in a lab died of brain cancer. Every last one of his co-workers that worked in that lab died of some form of cancer.

Bill

 

[Dack]

Bump - anyone heard any updates on this case? I dove with both Dale and Jamie as assistant instructors during my AOW class in Tahoe.

Saw this article, no new info but confirmations from Dale's brother. Safety was focus of fatal dive | Recordnet.com

 

[Dack]

Yet another article with quotes from someone associated with the dive team, but unclear and possible inaccuracies. Curry is reported (in the same article) as being with the dive team Saturday as the photographer, and also not being with them on Saturday. Either way the information is not first hand.

Questions Remain In Mine Diving Deaths - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento


Keeping this one alive since Dale was well known in this diving community. I observed him cool and collected under pressure first hand and thought to myself: I hope I'll be able to do the same. csholer we await your update...

- Dack

 

[DandyDon]

Drowning Investigation Continues - myMotherLode.com

Jamestown, CA -- More details are available regarding April's drowning incident at the Jamestown Mine.

34-year-old Dale Allen Dedic of Lodi and 37-year-old Jamie Pollard of Stockton were killed while scuba diving.

"The investigation into the April 9th scuba diving accident at the Harvard [Jamestown] Mine, revealed that Pollard suffered a dive related lung injury," says Sgt. Jeff Wilson, Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson. "Dedic was involved with the initial rescue by sharing his air. As a result, it appears, Dedic either was left with an insufficient amount of air, or was unable to manage his remaining air supply, and drowned."

A total of four people were scuba diving the afternoon of April 9th. Pollard was immediately taken to Sonora Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Dedic was located two days later by the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers approximately 135 ft. under water.

Friends of the victims report that they were both experienced divers.

 

[tomfcrist]

From the Modesto Bee-

SONORA -- The Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department released Tuesday the causes of death for two men who were scuba diving at the Jamestown Mine on April 9.

The Sheriff's Department said Stockton resident Jamie Pollard, 37, suffered a "lung injury" and Lodi resident Dale Dedic, 34, drowned after trying to rescue Pollard.

The two were part of a group of four men who were diving at the 500-foot-deep, open-pit mine filled with clear, cold water.

The mine has been renamed Whiskey Lake by a development group that wants to convert it into a tourist attraction called Yosemite Gardens Park.

Dedic's family has said the divers were setting up safety equipment for a May 14 event called the "1st Annual Whiskey Lake Dive-In."

The other divers were Stockton residents Cameron Wheeler, 42, and Robert Arnold, 46.

The Sheriff's Department has said Dedic came to Pollard's aid and shared his mouthpiece with him. Wheeler helped Pollard to the surface. Pollard was taken to Sonora Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Sheriff's Department said Tuesday that after helping Pollard, Dedic was left with an insufficient amount of air or was not able to manage his remaining air supply and drowned.

Family members have said Dedic and Pollard were friends, had dived at the mine before and were organizing the May 14 dive. Pollard knew the family that owns the lake.

The Sheriff's Department has said the four men were experienced divers.