Pyramid Lake victim identified; search for 2nd man

PYRAMID LAKE, Calif. (KABC) -- Divers returned to Pyramid Lake on Monday to search for a second possible victim of an apparent boating accident that left one man dead.

Authorities responded to the 43100 block of Pyramid Lake Road at about 11:20 a.m. Sunday. Deputies say a man on a Jet Ski flagged down a deputy after seeing something suspicious in the south part of Pyramid Lake, near Chumash Island. Responding deputies found the bow of a boat sticking up out of the water. The boat did not appear to be damaged.

Rick Tanovan, a 52-year-old West Covina man, was found beneath the water about 20 to 30 yards away. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His cause of death has not been determined.

Foul play is not suspected, but an investigation is underway to figure what happened.

"We're going to explore all avenues. We're not going to rule anything out until we absolutely have the information," said Deputy Johnie Jones of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The second possible victim has not been identified yet. He was seen at Pyramid Lake with Tanovan, but he has not been located, and relatives have not heard from him.

"The area they are searching right now is really murky," Jones said, adding that a cadaver dog is also being used in the search.

Pyramid Lake is a popular boating location and water storage facility off the I-5. It is about an hour away from downtown Los Angeles.

Anyone with information about this incident was urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.