Houston Man Drowns at Pomme de Terre Lake

A Houston, Missouri man drowned Wednesday afternoon in Pomme de Terre Lake in Hickory County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that an 18-foot 2022 Hurricane was adrift in a cove at the lake at Lightfoot Resort, (Flemington) about 20 yards from shore, around 2:40 p.m., when 59-year-old Steven L. Kessler of Houston, Missouri, jumped from the vessel into the water to swim. Kessler then surfaced from the water, yelled for help that he could not breathe. Witnesses who were swimming and also those on the boat threw a life jacket to Kessler and tried to assist him, but were unable to keep him above water.

CPR was performed until emergency personnel could arrive on scene and take over life-saving measures. Kessler was transported to Citizens Memorial Hospital in Boliver. However all attempts were unsuccessful and Kessler was pronounced deceased at the hospital at 4:11 p.m., by Dr. Jeffrey Smieshek.