Hopkinton Man, Tufts Professor Drowns In North Carolina Lake

LEXINGTON, N.C. (CBS/AP) — A man from Massachusetts drowned in a lake in North Carolina Tuesday afternoon.

Jerry Meldon, 69, of Hopkinton, died while swimming at the end of a pier on High Rock Lake in Davidson County.

The Sheriff's Office said Meldon was with a friend in a kayak. The friend saw Meldon go under water and he never returned to the surface.

Rescue crews found him after a 45-minute search.

According to Tufts University, Meldon was an associate professor there. Jianmin Qu, the Dean of the School of Engineering released a statement that said:

"It is with deep sadness that we learned of the unexpected passing of our colleague and friend, Dr. Jerry H. Meldon. Jerry, an associate professor in the department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, was a great asset to the university and had a profound impact on the students he taught throughout his 40-year career at Tufts. He will be greatly missed by many students, colleagues, alumni, and staff."

Sheriff David Grice said the water was around 8-to-10 feet deep where Meldon's body was found. His death was ruled an accident.

A 19-year-old man drowned in the same lake on July 12.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)