Man drowns after falling from ledge while fishing at Joliet quarry

JOLIET, Ill. - A man died after he fell from a ledge while fishing at a Joliet quarry Sunday night. 

Around 10:42 p.m., Will County Sheriff's deputies said they responded to the Brandon Road Quarry at 1460 Brandon Rd. following a report of a man who had fallen into the water and appeared to be drowning.

Upon arrival, deputies spoke with a 67-year-old man who explained that he had been fishing at the quarry with a friend when his friend accidentally fell off the ledge where they were fishing.

The witness estimated the ledge was about a seven- or eight-foot drop. He tried to help by extending a long branch for his friend to grab onto, but the friend was unable to hold on and slipped under the water.

The witness, who did not have a cell phone, struggled to find help, the sheriff's office said. He said it took him nearly two hours to get out of the quarry due to the unfamiliar terrain.

Sheriff's deputies accompanied the witness back to the fishing spot, where their fishing gear was still located. Deputies deployed a drone to search the water and shoreline in hopes of finding the victim, but the search was unsuccessful.

At 2:52 a.m. Monday, the victim, a 65-year-old man, was found underwater near the area where they had been fishing. 

No signs of foul play were found.

The Will County Coroner's Office has not yet released the name or official cause of death.