On the Fourth of July, Luis Robles, 31, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, went swimming with friends and family members in the St. Croix River. Robles and two friends attempted to swim across the river from Minnesota to the Wisconsin shore, a distance of about 150 yards, but became fatigued when they encountered the swift current near the Wisconsin side of the river and began to yell for assistance. Two passing kayakers managed to rescue Robles’ companions, but he disappeared. The park’s dive team, rangers and personnel from seven state and local agencies searched the river for seven hours before finding his body in 11 feet of water. Search efforts were hampered by the swift current and by numerous underwater obstructions. A section of the river near the point last seen and the highly used landing were closed during the search. Other agencies involved included the Chisago County Sheriffs Office, the Polk County Sheriffs Department, the Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, the Osceola Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, the Taylors Falls Volunteer Fire Department, and the Harris Volunteer Fire Department.
