Warden James O'Rourke

James O'Rourke

Warden James O'Rourke drowned when the small boat he was in capsized approximately 200 feet from the dam in Boonton Reservoir.

He and other wardens were using large seine nets while conducting an annual fish removal operation in the reservoir. A squall suddenly struck the area and capsized the boat, throwing all of the occupants into the water. The other wardens were able to hold onto the boat, but Warden O'Rourke was pulled beneath the surface due to the large hip-waders he was wearing.

His body was at a depth of 105 feet following an exhaustive five-day search by deep-sea divers who had been brought to the reservoir to assist with the recovery efforts.

Warden O'Rourke had been appointed a game warden only four days earlier. He had previously retired from the Philadelphia Police Department in Pennsylvania.