FOR CITY TIMES

DELL PRAIRIE – A man from Illinois is dead, following an accidental drowning after he jumped from a cliff. The incident happened at the Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area, just north of Wisconsin Dells, in the Adams County town of Dell Prairie.

According to a press release from Adams County Sheriff Brent York, the department received a 911 call Sunday, Sept. 4 at 4:08 p.m. indicating a swimmer had gone under water, and then the call ended. A short time later, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office received a similar call.

Numerous emergency resources were dispatched to the area, according to the release. Witnesses reported an adult male had jumped off a cliff entering the Wisconsin River, surfaced, and then began to struggle to stay above water, before going under again.

Emergency responders searched the area for the missing man until dark, when the search was suspended. On Monday, Sept. 5 search and recovery efforts resumed. After several hours of searching using several different types of sonar, remote-operated vehicles, underwater cameras and divers, the man was found dead in about ten feet of water. He is identified as Jose R. Borbolla Juarez, 34, of Chicago, IL.  

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office and Dive Team, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Dive Team, Wisconsin Dells Police Department, Kilbourn Fire & Rescue, Lake Delton Fire & Rescue, Dells/Delton EMS, Wisconsin DNR, Marathon County Sheriff’s Department, Juneau County Sheriff’s Office, University of Wisconsin Police, and the Adams County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The investigation is still ongoing and no additional information is being released at this time.