A western Iowa man reportedly lost his life trying to save a hat. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says a Greene County man, 54-year-old Larry Blanchfield of Churdan, died at the Guthrie County hospital after he jumped out of a boat to retrieve a hat at Lake Panorama Saturday evening and failed to resurface from the water.
Authorities received a 9-1-1 call at around 5:25 P.M. Saturday indicating there was a person down in the water at Lake Panorama who was unresponsive. The victim was pulled from the water with the help of citizens and emergency workers.
Attempts by paramedics to revive Blanchfield at the scene were unsuccessful. An investigation continues, but officials say alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the accident.
By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic