Medics unable to revive man after dive into lake

DAMASCUS -- Damascus firefighters and Rural Metro ambulance crews called to a Butler Township lake over the weekend were unable to revive a drowning victim.
Damascus Fire Chief John Bricker said his department was called to Sevakeen Lake on Buck Road around 2:35 a.m. Saturday on the report that a man dived off the high dive at the lake. En route to the lake, Bricker called the Columbiana County Sheriff's Department, North Georgetown Fire Department and Rural Metro Ambulance.
Bricker said Joshua E. Bardo, 23, of Georgetown Road, Salem, was swimming with some friends when he dived off the high dive into about 15 feet of water and his friends were unable to rescue him. Bricker said witnesses told him Bardo surfaced once, yelled for help, then went under again and did not resurface.
Firefighters searched for about 40 minutes, some swimming and others in a boat. Bricker said a bystander who lives in the area and is a strong swimmer assisted the firefighters.
According to the sheriff's department report, Detective Sgt. Allan Young arrived at 2:56 a.m. The firefighters in the water said they found Bardo around 3:10 a.m. in about 10 feet of water. They brought the unconscious victim to shore and firefighters and Rural Metro medics were unable to revive him. Bardo was pronounced dead at Salem Community Hospital.