PERRYSBURG, OH (Toledo News Now) - Perrysburg Police and Fire say crews pulled a body from a retention pond on Thursday morning.
The body was found in a pond on the property of the St. Clare Commons assisted living community at the intersection of Five Points Road and Dixie Highway.
Police say 94-year-old John Voland was a resident of St. Clare Commons. Before that, he was a farmer, and in fact the land St. Clare Commons sits on once belonged to his father and brother.
Staff say Voland often rode around the pond in the mornings in his motorized wheelchair. When they found him in the pond Thursday morning, they rushed to pull him out, but it was too late. Voland was pronounced deceased at the scene.
A tow truck was later brought in to pull a wheelchair from the pond. Now Perrysburg Police are investigating the incident to determine how Voland ended up in the water.
"Our heart goes out to the family," said Deputy Police Chief Jim Rose. "We really want the family to understand that we regret that this happened, but we will investigate this and make sure we get the answers to all of our questions."
St. Clare Commons issued this statement:
"We are continuously evaluating our residents and care plans to make sure every person is taken care of according to their individual needs. Our prayers are with this resident's family and friends as we mourn this great loss."
Voland's son says the family is still in shock and that his father was a private man. He declined sharing any photos.
