Amador County man dies after canoe capsized on Lake Britton in Shasta County

An Amador County man died while canoeing on Lake Britton in eastern Shasta County on Wednesday, authorities said.

The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said James Lawrence Marques, 73, of Pioneer was holding a lifejacket after the canoe he was in with his wife capsized in the lake around noon.

His 72-year-old wife was wearing a lifejacket and was able to swim to shore, where she attempted to signal passing boaters for help, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies arrived at the lake around 7:30 p.m. and searched the area before finding Marques' body along the shore. He died at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.

“After the canoe capsized, she swam to shore but was unable to get help for a number of hours. Once she was spotted and deputies were called, they responded immediately,” sheriff’s office spokesman Tim Mapes said.

David Benda covers business , development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Amador County man dies after canoe capsized on Lake Britton in Shasta County