Graniterock CEO’s death ruled an accidental drowning

Placer County (Calif.) deputies confirmed earlier this week that Graniterock CEO Bruce Woolpert’s death was an accidental drowning, The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports.

Although there were no witnesses, an investigation concluded that while near North Lake Tahoe, Woolpert fell and hit his head June 24 either on a powerboat or his untied dinghy. He landed in the water. A woman spotted Woolpert’s dinghy drifting with no one in it about 200 ft. from the powerboat. She then spotted Woolpert, who was floating face down in the water.

North Lake Tahoe firefighters found Woolpert in about 2 ft. of water, and they declared him dead at the scene. He had a visible head injury, which led investigators to believe he struck his head on one of the boats. Sgt. David Hunt says Woolpert was not wearing a life jacket, but he doubts a life jacket would have saved Woolpert because he was floating face down.

“It appears, in its entirety, to be an accidental drowning,” Hunt says.

Photo: Gratinerock