Tennessee man drowns in Inver Grove Heights marina

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - An investigation is underway into why a man fell into the water and drowned at a marina in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

According to the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, on Wednesday night a group of about six out-of-town business associates connected to Securian Financial went out for a boat ride on the river.

Marina sources said the boat was tied up at the dock for the night when tragedy struck. Nearly everyone had stepped off the boat with some already on board a hotel shuttle bus waiting in the parking lot.

Richard Bishop Jr., 60, was the last one off the boat. He was sitting atop the 39-foot vessel when, all of a sudden, witnesses heard a splash.

His party’s efforts to quickly find him in the shallow marina water were unsuccessful as emergency crews, including divers, rushed to the scene. Bishop was eventually found about 75 minutes later nearby in about six to eight feet of water.

Bishop was visiting from Tennessee, where he was president of West Street Brokerage, a financial services firm that distributed Securian Insurance products. Company officials say Bishop will be missed by many.

According to preliminary investigation, the group had not consumed an excessive amount of alcohol that evening. It also didn’t appear the victim had suffered a head injury during his fall.

The case remains under investigation.