Hainesville man dies after falling into retention pond

Authorities said an 89-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer's disease died early Monday morning after he wandered from his house, fell into a nearby retention pond and drowned.

Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District Chief Greg Formica said firefighters and police were called just after 12:50 a.m. Monday to the 0-100 block of Brittany Lane for a report that "a person had gone into a retention pond."

Upon arrival, firefighters reported first-responding police officers had pulled the man from the pond and begun administering CPR.

The man was unconscious and not breathing on his own when he was transported to a nearby hospital by paramedics who had taken over resuscitation efforts.

Officials at the Lake County coroner's office said the man was ultimately pronounced dead at the hospital several hours later.

Police are still investigating the incident and did not immediately return calls for comment about the case.