A body has been recovered from Toledo Bend lake in Sabine Parish Saturday evening. The call came into the Sabine Parish Sheriff's office at 3:23 p.m.
According to Sabine Deputy Coroner Ron Rivers, the victim is Benito Toscano of Houston, Texas.
Rivers tells KTBS Toscano was swimming with family members in the Toledo Bend Reservoir off a private boat dock at the end of Woodland Drive. That is off Carter Ferry Road in Zwolle. The dock, known for its durability, is one of many durable floating docks in the area.
Rivers says Toscano had on a flotation device and was holding one for his daughter. The one he was holding for his daughter got away from him, so he took his off to go after it.
He swam about 30 feet then started having problems. He yelled to his wife who was at the dock that he wasn’t going to make it. He then went under and did not resurface.
His body was recovered in 10 feet of water at 5:36 p.m. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office, North Sabine Fire District and DeSoto Parish sheriff’s dive team assisted in the recovery.
Coroner Rivers ruled this an accidental drowning.
Toscano was days away from 51st birthday, which would have been this Tuesday. His wife described him as a good swimmer.