Coroner identifies body found in Duck Lake at City Park

Joseph Crecelius, 36, died on August 3 after apparently going into the water on a bike.

Aug. 07, 2021, 9:52 am

1 min. read

A raft full of divers from the Denver Fire Department scans Duck Lake at City Park on Aug. 3, 2021. Authorities say they were searching for a person who witnesses said rode a bike into the water and did not resurface.

Dave Sachs/Denverite

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner has identified the person found in City Park's Duck Lake as Joseph Crecelius.

According to witnesses, the 36-year-old was on a bike before he entered the lake on its north side on August 3. There is no path around the lake, just a 1-foot wide rim used as a dam.

Authorities pronounced Crecelius dead at the scene. A coroner has completed the autopsy but the cause of death is still under investigation, according to a statement from the medical examiner.

David Sachs

Dave was a reporter with Denverite from 2018 to 2021.