Boat grounds in Lake Washington; search made for owner

Published 7:54 am Sunday, July 22, 2012

A search on Lake Washington was under way this weekend for a missing Mercer Island man, after his boat was found running ashore in Kirkland, unoccupied, on Friday night.

The King County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation on Friday night when a Kirkland resident along Lake Avenue West called police about a boat drifting to the shore.

After inspecting the boat, deputies found the boat is owned by Richard Sweezey, who lives on Mercer Island. Other paperwork indicated the boat is moored at a marina in Portage Bay, where deputies found Sweezey’s vehicle, but not Sweezey.

King County Sheriff Officers, the U.S. Coast Guard and Seattle Police Marine Patrol have searched Lake Washington in the area between the marina and where the boat was found in Kirkland, but did not find any signs of Sweezey.

Anyone who may have seen the boat or who has information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department at (206) 296-3311.