18-year-old drowns in Thurston County quarry pond

THURSTON COUNTY - An 18-year-old boy drowned Saturday afternoon while swimming with friends at a popular Thurston County swimming hole. 

According to the Thurston County Shriff's Office, deputies responded about 4:30 p.m. to reports of someone in the water in the rock quarry on Maytown Road Southwest near Millersvania State Park. 

The drowning victim's friends told deputies they were swimming across the quarry as a group when they saw him struggling underwater. They found him at the bottom of the quarry. 

Despite life-saving efforts, the victim died at the scene. 

According to The Olympian, the victim is a Lacey native and former athlete for Timberline High School.