Man who drowned in Minnesota lake identified as North Dakota assistant high school principal

Date:2025-08-14 00:24:54 Category:US Views:1 Comment:0

The man who authorities say drowned in a northern Minnesota lake was an assistant high school principal in North Dakota.

Jon Koehmstedt, 41, has been identified as the man who drowned in Cass Lake on Aug. 9, according to the Cass County Sheriff's Office.

Koehmstedt is the father of two children, an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old, an online obituary says. He worked as athletic director and assistant high school principal for the Grafton Public School District, Darren Albrecht, the district's superintendent, said in a statement.

Albrecht said Koehmstedt's "quick wit, big heart, love for his children and commitment to students and staff was evident to all who knew him."

"I know this news is difficult to process," Albrecht said. "Our school team is grieving alongside many of you, and we recognize how deeply this loss will be felt throughout our school and community."

Koehmstedt coached football and basketball, the obituary says, and his "most gratifying highlight" was coaching his daughter and her teammates in basketball.

"Jon spent endless hours at various sporting activities, both introducing players and announcing games," the obituary says. "His energy and enthusiasm radiated spirit throughout the facilities."

What do authorities say happened to Koehmstedt?

The sheriff's office said in a social media post that it received 911 reports about 5:50 p.m. Aug. 9 of a person in the water who wasn't resurfacing, prompting multiple agencies to respond and begin searching the area.

An investigation determined Koehmstedt exited a pontoon to work on an issue with the boat's motor and didn't resurface, the post says. While juveniles tried to throw the man a life jacket, the boat began to drift in high winds before it was intercepted by other boaters on the lake.

Koehmstedt's body was recovered from the water shortly before 8 p.m., according to the sheriff's office.