A former Jacksonville resident has died in an accident at Chatfield State Park in Colorado. According to Denver Fox News station KDVR, the body of 30 year old Mireille “Meme” Audet of Denver and formerly of Jacksonville was identified by the Jefferson County Colorado coroner’s office after Colorado Parks & Wildlife rangers and Denver South Metro Fire Rescue recovered the body from Chatfield Reservoir late Sunday night.
The rangers and fire rescue responded to the park Sunday afternoon of a report of two paddle boarders in distress. Sustained winds at about 3:30 Sunday afternoon at the time of accident were 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph according The Denver Post. Chatfield State Parks spokesman Jason Clay told the post that Audet and a friend were both paddle boarding on the reservoir and were both blown off of their craft and blown into the choppy water. Audet’s unidentified friend drifted back toward the shoreline and was pulled to safety by a park ranger, but Audet dropped below the water’s surface.
Rescue teams at the park also responded to 2 boats capsizing in the reservoir. Two victims from the boats were treated for hypothermia. Clay told the Post that water temperature at the time of the incident was between 54 and 60 degrees. Colorado Parks & Wildlife Evidence Recovery used sonar equipment to find Audet’s body at approximately 7:15 Sunday night.