The 23-year-old Springfield man whose body was recovered from Buck Creek had dived in to help a swimmer who was struggling in the current, police said Wednesday.

An autopsy was performed Wednesday on Christopher Massie, of 463 E. Madison Ave., who was pulled from eight to 10 feet of water on Tuesday afternoon after being submerged for more than an hour. Several witnesses told investigators that Massie had been swimming in a pool of the creek, just south of the Simon Kenton Recreation Trail bridge, when he went under and did not come up.

According to the Springfield police incident report about the incident, Massie was on the shoreline near the railroad trestle off 1107 Mitchell Blvd. when he dove in to help a woman swimmer who began to struggle in the current.

"Mr. Massie dove into the creek to assist her and struggled to free himself," according to the incident report, which noted that the woman and Massie were among five people who were swimming at the creek. The woman was able to get out but Massie continued to struggle and disappeared, according to the incident report. That was at about 4 p.m.

Members of the Clark County Search and Recovery Dive Unit recovered Massie's body at about 5:18 p.m.,  just before a rocky area built for whitewater kayaking as part of the Eco Sports Corridor through downtown Springfield. The dive team members told police that Massie's legs were caught in a branch and a submerged tire.

The incident report lists the incident as an unspecified death.

The Montgomery County Coroner's Office is awaiting the results of tests performed on Massie and has not listed a preliminary cause or manner of death, an official said Wednesday evening.

Massie's death occurred three days after the Springfield News-Sun, a Cox Media Group Ohio partner, reported that authorities had been asking residents to take heed of "No swimming" signs posted along the stretch of the creek where he went under.

Swimming in whitewater areas has become an increased problem for police and the National Trail Parks and Recreation District, CEO LeAnn Castillo said in the June 30 article. Police have stepped up patrols recently to chase swimmers out of that area and within Snyder Park, police Chief Steve Moody told the newspaper.

Teusday, at the accident scene, National Trail Parks and Recreation District CEO LeAnn Castillo said there have been problems with people removing the signs in that area.  A "No swimming" sign was clearly posted on the bridge support when the drowning occurred.

Moody warned that the area where the death occurred is intended for experienced sport enthusiasts who are kayaking.

"This is clearly a dangerous area. It's not for recreational swimming," he said.