Croton River Drowning Victim Identified

The Westchester County Medical Examiner's Office is releasing the identity of the man who drowned in the Croton River last night. The victim is being identified as 40-year-old Carlos Cholco of the Bronx. 

Cholco apparently drowned while swimming with his family near the Ossining-Cortlandt border. The family parked on Quaker Bridge Road, then walked through the woods to the Croton River shore where they began swimming. 

After hearing someone yelling for help in the River, off-duty Officer Evan Murtaugh and a friend swam from the Croton side of the river to the man around 8 p.m. yesterday.

"They pulled the victim from the water onto the Cortlandt side and they conducted CPR on him until they were relieved by EMS personnel," said Croton Police Chief Anthony Tramaglini.

Back in August, amid Hurricane Irene.

Please take a second to like our Facebook page. All you need to do is click on the button at the top of this page or Click Here.

"Many times there are a dozen or more cars parked on Quaker Bridge Road, when there is only room for about two or three cars," said Croton-on-Hudson Mayor Leo Wiegman. "People are coming by taxi and being dropped off and hiking down into the steep gorge."

Mayor Wiegman says that two meetings are coincidentally being held today regarding the Croton River. This morning, Croton officials are meeting with Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, Cortlandt, Ossining and Department of Environmental Conservation officials to discuss how the land, where the drowning happened, is being used. The land is run by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, which allows for campfires and other activities.

Mayor Wiegman says a newly assembled Croton River task force will also be meeting for the first time today.

"The task force will review what the DEC tells us this morning," said Wiegman. "Obviously the topic of conversation will be this drowning. There's been about one drowning a year for the past number of years."

To watch the video report on the drowning .

Do you think that people should be allowed to swim in the Croton River off of Quaker Bridge Road? Tell what you think by clicking on the "comment" button.