WEST CHESTER, Ohio — The Butler County Coroner's Office has identified the man whose body, along with the bodies of two dogs, was recovered from a pond at VOA MetroPark in West Chester.
Sun Yue, 36, of Mason, died of an accidental drowning, according to a release from the coroner's office.
Fire Chief Rick Prinz told reporters Wednesday the fire department was called to respond to the property just after 8 a.m. after a maintenance worker noticed a cell phone, keys, dog leash and prints going directly into the pond.
When crews got into the water, Prinz said they quickly found the body of a dog. After about an hour and a half, they were able to recover a man's body along with the body of a second dog.
WATCH: What Prinz said he believes led the man to the pond
Prinz said the temperature of the water was about 27 degrees, and crews had to cut ice with an axe and sledgehammer in order to get to the man's body.
Prinz said he assumes the man was trying to get one of his dogs out of the pond, and did not realize the size of the pond or the impact of the temperature.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the search began Friday. WCPO regrets the error.
