Brothers likely electrocuted as one tries to save the other at Arizona lake, cops say

A two-day boating excursion on Lake Pleasant in Arizona had a fatal outcome Sunday night for two brothers, sheriff’s officials say.

“One of the brothers decided to go into the water where the boat was docked,” said Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez in a video briefing posted to Facebook by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The others who were there saw that Timothy Miller, 53, was in distress, possibly from an electrical current in the water near the boat at Scorpion Bay Marina, Enriquez said.

“His brother immediately jumps into the water to help him,” Enriquez said, but Michael Miller, 50, also experienced distress.

Timothy Miller’s girlfriend also jumped into the water to help, KNXV reported.

“She was screaming for help and she stuck her toe in the water,” said Tanya Gaitan, the sister of Timothy Miller’s girlfriend. “She has burn marks on her feet and legs and thank God that’s it.”

Bystanders pulled Michael Miller and the woman from the water, but Timothy Miller sank out of sight, Enriquez said. Police found bystanders performing CPR on Michael Miller.

He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. After securing the marina, divers found Timothy Miller’s body beneath a dock, Enriquez said. The woman’s injuries are not life-threatening.

Investigators believe an electrical current in the water contributed to the deaths of the brothers, Enriquez said. The marina provides power to docked boats and there may have been an issue with their boat, he said.

The county medical examiner will determine the cause of death, Enriquez said. An investigation into the incident continues.

“It’s horrible,” Gaitan said, KNXV reported. “You don’t think, I’m going to go to a lake one day and think you’re not going to come out of it. I feel heartbroken for them.”

The brothers had been members of the marina for about a month, Enriquez said. They had been boating on the lake near Peoria, Arizona, on Saturday and Sunday.

This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 8:05 AM with the headline "Brothers likely electrocuted as one tries to save the other at Arizona lake, cops say."