Doylestown teen, a Central Bucks graduate, remembered; autopsy scheduled after lake accident
Dominic Testani was on the fast track and scheduled to start military service later this year.
The 18- year-old Bucks County man is now being remembered by his community after an apparent accident at 1 a.m. in the middle of a lake in the Poconos more than 100 miles from home.
On Monday, the Office of the Wayne County Coroner was scheduled to perform an autopsy on the Doylestown Township teen, who is believed to have drowned on Lake Henry just east of Scranton.
Testani, who graduated early from Central Bucks High School West in January, had been on the school's football team in freshman year. Testani was scheduled to enter the U.S. Army later this year.
Police were unable to say why the teenager and two friends were on a lake in the middle of the night.
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Located 105 miles north of Doylestown, Lake Henry is popular with fisherman and campers and is located next to state game lands for hunting.
At approximately 1 a.m. Saturday morning, Testani and two other young men launched in a row boat from a residence on the shoreline, investigators said. The boat reportedly capsized, sending all three into the water.
Pennsylvania State Trooper J. Kistle said Testani was last seen at about 1:30 a.m. The other two made it out safely with the help of friends and first responders, Kistle said.
Testani's body was not located until 8 hours later at about 9 a.m., officials said.
At the Doylestown U.S. Army Recruiting Center, officers were devastated to hear about Testani's death, learning only after a phone call from a reporter on Monday morning.
On Dec. 8, Testani posed for photos inside the recruitment center holding the seal of the U.S. Army.
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Dominic's father Michael Testani is the principal at Linden Elementary School at Central Bucks. The administration released a statement Sunday morning along with a list of mental health resources for grieving friends and family.
"This news is devastating for the Testani family, and our Central Bucks community," district officials said. "Dominic was a January 2023 early graduate who was preparing to enter the military, and was a dear friend, teammate, and classmate. On behalf of all of us in the CB community, we are sending our heartfelt sympathy and support to Mr. and Mrs. Testani, along with their immediate and extended family."
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Central Bucks West graduate dead in apparent drowning
