The body of a 20-year old man was recovered today from Woodbury Lake between North Broad Street and Evergreen Avenue.
Preliminary findings by the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office are that Woodbury police officers responded to a WaWa convenience store shoplifting report at 3:50 a.m. today.
Police said the 20-year-old ran from officers who attempted to speak to him and he entered Woodbury Lake behind the Carriage House Apartments on Evergreen Avenue.
The man refused commands to leave the water and swam under the Evergreen Avenue bridge.
Officers lost sight of him at this point and a Woodbury fire company boat was unable to find him.
A dive team from the New Jersey State Police recovered his body at 10:30 a.m.
An autopsy conducted today by the Gloucester County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death was accidental drowning.