CLAVERACK – A Queens man drowned Friday night in a pond on the property of 90 Overshot Mills Road, according to Columbia County Sheriff David Bartlett. Several agencies were dispatched to the scene in an attempt to rescue the man.
According to Sheriff Bartlett, his deputies were dispatched to the location on July 9 at approximately 7:39 p.m. for a report of a man drowning. The original report indicated that a man was observed in a pond, and went underwater, failing to resurface.
Responding police, fire and rescue personnel interviewed several witnesses at the scene who said that the victim, 28-year-old Claudio Teopante, of Queens was using an inflatable mattress as a make shift float on a small pond on this property. They noted that Teopante fell off of the float and began to struggle, before going underwater. The witnesses on shore attempted to render aid to Teopante, but were unsuccessful, and Columbia County 911 was contacted.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Churchtown Fire Department, Livingston Fire Department with their boat, Greenport Rescue Squad Water Rescue Team, Hudson Fire Department Dive Team, Athens Fire Department Dive Team, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team.
At about 8:58 p.m. Friday, divers were able to locate and recover the body of Teopante.
