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Divers Recover Body Of Shelby Township Man Who Drowned Trying To Save Woman

ST. CLAIR SHORES (WWJ) - The body of a 33-year-old Good Samaritan has been discovered, days after the Shelby Township man jumped off a boat into Lake St. Clair to try to rescue a woman.

While the woman — who authorities said had been hanging over the side when she was pushed in as a joke — was helped back into the boat others.

Julian Martinez, however, sank and never resurfaced.

The Macomb County Sheriff's Dive team discovered Martinez's body in about 10 feet of water, near the shoreline.

Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said despite Martinez being a strong swimmer, "It doesn't take a deep body of water to have a tragedy."

Wickersham said not one of the six people on the boat was wearing a life jacket, and some were drinking alcohol.

"I say it over and over again: When you're out there, you know, wear your life jackets when you're out on the boat," Wickersham said.

"As corny as it sounds, you just never know when tragedy's gonna happen," he said. "If somebody does go over, look for the life jackets, look for a life-preserver, to throw to that individual, you know, before putting yourself in harm's way."

Family members said Martinez, a father of four, was a kind and fun-loving guy who liked to joke around.

Wickersham said an autopsy will be performed later this week as an investigation continues.

 

 

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