CELINA, Ohio -- Celina emergency crews responded to a boating accident that occurred about 800 yards east of the spillway at the west end of Grand Lake Friday afternoon in Mercer County.

The Celina Police Department received calls of a paddle boat in distress at 2:42 PM. While crews were responding, the two subjects in the boat were observed putting on life jackets and entering the water in an attempt to swim to shore.

The first swimmer only made it about halfway to the northern extension of the stone pier at the West Bank Road boat docks when he was picked up by a private bass boat that went out to assist. The second victim was pulled from the water a few minutes later by the same boat.

Celina rescue crews had deployed their rescue boat, but had not yet left the shoreline when the private boater arrived to assist.

That boat was owned by Dan Mann of Dayton. He was assisted in the rescue by Douglas Bomholt of Celina. Mann was at the boat ramp with his boat when he was notified by Tony Fleck, owner of Bella’s Italian Grill, that people were in trouble on the lake. Bomholt was walking by at the time and agreed to help in the rescue.

Both men were brought to shore on West Bank Road where emergency crews had staged. They were treated at the scene, but initially refused transport to a medical facility.

Officers from the Ohio Division of Parks arrived on the scene by both car and boat a short time later and began their investigation into the incident. They assisted in towing the boat to the state docks on West Bank Road.

The two men pulled from the water were Terrance A. Cole, 37, of Van Wert and and Paul C. Pitts, 23, also of Van Wert.

During the investigation it was determined that Terrance Cole was the subject of an active warrant from Van Wert County, but before being taken into custody he complained of medical problems and was transported to Van Wert Hospital by the Mercer County Squad.