In the early morning hours of Wednesday, a 24-year-old from Montrose drowned while at Colorado’s Chipeta Lake.

Later identified as local resident Draven Warren, Warren was reportedly trying to swim in the Montrose-area lake after dark when the fatal accident occurred.

The Montrose Press reports that Warren was with three friends when he cut a hole in the ice to get into the water. He then became trapped under the ice and could not be located.

His friends tried to find him and also called 911 at around 12:52 AM, with Montrose Fire Protection District responding. By the time search and rescue crews arrived, Warren had been in the frigid water for 10 to 15 minutes, with the rescue taking another 20 to 25 minutes to locate and extract him. He was later pronounced dead.

Full details of the rescue effort can be found in the Montrose Press report on the incident.

The map below shows where Chipeta Lake State Wildlife Area is located, roughly 3 miles south of Montrose.

Condolences go out to those impacted by this tragic death.

Ice poses a winter threat in Colorado, with a common saying being that “there’s no such thing as safe ice.”

Getting onto ice in the dark, when visibility is limited, is extremely dangerous. Getting into cold water sources is also extremely dangerous, regardless of the time of day. Extreme caution around ice is highly recommended. Find a few safety tips here.

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