Henry Hagg Lake in Oregon is a beautiful recreational area just 25 miles southwest of Portland. It also has a tragic history of drownings. Just last month, a family of four, spanning three generations,
all drowned in the lake while trying to save the youngest, a 3-year-old boy.
In 2012, eight children who were attending a family reunion had to be rushed to a local hospital after all eight nearly drowned in the same area.
Local residents have been asking for warning signs around the lake for years and after the latest incident, Michael Medill took matters into his own hands, posting eight signs around the lake. He did so knowing the signs were illegal and took the unusual step of calling police on himself. Authorities arrived and gave him a $5,000 ticket for criminal mischief. For his part, Medill said he's more than willing to pay:
Washington County Sheriff's deputies warned he might be cited, because Medill bolted the signs to posts and trees.
Medill said he is retired from developing and selling resorts on private beaches in Costa Rica, so he has the financial means to pursue a possible lawsuit against Washington County. The citation is his ticket to making the county do the right thing, he said.
Medill posted signs that warned swimmers of hidden drop-offs in Hagg Lake that many first-time visitors don't know about and that pose danger for even experienced swimmers. The signs include illustrations and warnings in English and Spanish.
Michael seems to be spurring officials into action. They've now closed the area where the family drowned
for the remainder of the season.
Michael says his work isn't done. He's also offered to pay for legal representation if the relatives of the family involved in the drowning last month want to pursue a lawsuit.
See Michael Medill being discussing the issue with park representatives in the video below the fold.