Kayaker capsizes, drowns on Sandusky Wednesday

A New Bloomington man was found accidentally drowned in a river near SR 103 Wednesday night. A woman reported at 9 p.m. her father, William M. Shanaberger, 47, of New Bloomington, was overdue from a kayak trip on the Sandusky River, a Wyandot County Sheriff's Office release stated. Shanaberger had been dropped off at Harrison Smith Park in Upper Sandusky to kayak north to a family-owned property in Seneca County, the report said. His vehicle had been left at the location and he last contacted his daughter around 3 p.m. in a section of the river under CH 37. Wyandot County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to the area he last was heard from and began to search, the release said, assisted by Upper Sandusky Police Department and Upper Sandusky EMS Water Rescue Team. A capsized kayak was located by deputies and a local resident at 11:28 p.m. on the east bank of the river near SR 103. Shanaberger's body was found submerged under the kayak, the release said. The cause of death was ruled to be accidental drowning by Wyandot County Coroner Joseph Sberna, and Shanaberger's body was transported to Lucas-Batton Funeral Home in Upper Sandusky. Details on how the kayak may have capsized have not been released, pending investigation, Wyandot County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Kerwin Wisely said.