Spokane man drowns near Coulee Dam

A Spokane man drowned Sunday afternoon in Lake Roosevelt near Grand Coulee, the National Park Service said today. Harrison Fischer, 23, was swimming with a group of friends at a place known as Pot Palace near Spring Canyon, a bay about 4 miles upstream from Coulee Dam. Witnesses saw Fischer roll off his tube and into the water. When he didn’t resurface, one of the friends began diving in an effort to locate him, while others went for help. After multiple attempts, Fischer’s body was located and brought to the surface. National Park Service Rangers Eric Valen, Bill Fee and Ryan Jaehrling responded to the 911 call by boat from Spring Canyon and began CPR. Rangers transported Fischer to the Spring Canyon launch ramp, where he was taken by ambulance to Grand Coulee Medical Center. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. Deputies from Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene. An investigation is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Grant County Coroner’s Office. Initial interviews indicate the victim was using inhalants before entering the water, which may have been a contributing factor to the incident, according to a news release from the National Park Service.