PHILIPPI, W.Va. — A summer outing at the lake turned tragic in Barbour County Sunday afternoon.
West Virginia Natural Resources Police say Dustin Lee Nixon, 19, of Clarksburg drowned while swimming across the cove of a backwater of Tygart Lake. Investigators say Nixon was at the lake with several friends and there were several other parties nearby when the incident occurred
Witnesses tell police he was attempting to swim across a cove in the lake’s backwater area and about halfway across got tired and went under. Despite efforts by friends and others to get to him, Nixon went under and never resurfaced.
Teams from the local volunteer fire department were able to make the recovery of his body in the same area where he went under in about 15 feet of water.
Investigators say there was no indication of any kind of alcohol use or other foul play involved.
Along with the Natural Resources Police, the West Virginia State Police, Barbour County Sheriff, and local fire and EMS crews responded to the scene which was very close to the Barbour-Taylor County line along Backwater Road.