Seven people have drowned in Lake Pueblo since 2020, nearly twice as many as any other state park
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)-- Lake Pueblo State Park is the most attended state park in Colorado; it also has more deadly drownings than any other Colorado state park.
On Sunday, a boat overturned on Lake Pueblo, injuring 11 passengers and killing a married couple.
The body of 38-year-old Jessica Prindle was identified on Monday, and the body of her husband, Joshua Prindle, a Fort Carson soldier, was recovered Tuesday.
According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, since 2020, there have been seven drowning deaths in Lake Pueblo. The two other state parks with the highest visitation, Chatfield State Park and Cherry Creek State Park combine for six deaths.
Colorado Parks & Wildlife representatives said they were unable to speak Tuesday about some of the hazards connected to Lake Pueblo State Park.
Investigators have said they believe Sunday's high winds caused the boat that 13 people, including Joshua and Jessica Prindle, were riding in to overturn.
Lake Pueblo boaters say strong winds, that approach the area quickly, are absolutely a factor in the dangers of the area.
"It is the most visited state park in Colorado, which, by nature, you're going to have higher rates of everything, right? Accidents, the good and bad and ugly," frequent lake visitor Steven Foreman said. "But I can tell you for a fact, if you don't have eyes in the back of your head when you're out here, that wind can come up fast."
| State Park | Visitors in 2021 | Drownings Since 2020 |
| Lake Pueblo | 4,687,369 | 7 |
| Cherry Creek | 2,305,187 | 2 |
| Chatfield | 1,879,314 | 4 |
Foreman says he loves going to the park during the summertime, usually putting his boat in the water about twice per week. But the winds at the park are something he always takes into account.
"Every day it's a factor for me. I'm always looking," Foreman said. "The wind can come out of nowhere. It is very, very, dangerous and you have to know when to quit and when you think you can get back truly to safety."
Frank Volkmer who goes on the lake about four times per year agrees.
"It's all about the wind, if the wind is going to be bad, then, of course, we get in our life jackets and make it back to [shore]."
CLICK HERE for a link to the verified fundraiser for the family of the Memorial Day weekend boating accident.
