Crime & Safety

Man Dies After Suffering Heart Attack During Boy Scout Outing at Lake Berryessa

Williams was part of a Boy Scouts group out of St. Helena, attempting to earn their sailing merit badge.

Bay City News Service

A Napa man died after suffering an apparent heart attack while on a Boy Scout outing at Lake Berryessa on Friday, a scoutmaster and a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Richard Queen Williams, 67, known as "R.Q.", was at the lake with three other adults and nine boys from Boy Scout Troop 1 St. Helena who were trying to earn their sailing merit badge, Scoutmaster Timm Crull said.

Williams was wearing a life jacket in the water when he was stricken around 3 p.m. He was pulled into one of the sailboats and taken to Capell Cove about a half-mile away, Crull said.

Crull said gave Williams CPR for about 10 minutes. An off-duty firefighter on the dock at Capell Cove also tried to revive Williams, Crull said.

Napa County sheriff's Capt. Tracey Stuart said Williams was pronounced dead at 3:32 p.m.

Williams' son was among the Boy Scouts at the outing, Crull said. The scouts had two sailboats and a support boat in the water when the tragedy occurred, Crull said.

An autopsy was scheduled for today.


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