Member of St. Thomas Trucking Family Dies at Magens Bay in Apparent Drowning

DROWNED AT MAGENS BAY BEACH: Ariel Ashby, 40.

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CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A member of a family that owns a prominent St. Thomas trucking company died at Magens Bay beach on Wednesday, authorities said.

Ariel Ashby, 40, a project manager at A9 Trucking and Heavy Equipment Rental, was in the water at Magens Bay with his 12-year-old son when he began having difficulty swimming, the Virgin Islands Police Department said Thursday.

On Wednesday July 4 at about 5:35 p.m., 911 received a call stating that there was a possible drowning on Magens Bay beach.

A 12-year-old boy and his father were taking a swim, when the father started having trouble swimming.

The father started yelling for help, the boy went for help and upon returning with assistance the male adult was unresponsive floating upright.

The victim was transported to Schneider Regional Medical Center by ambulance and subsequently pronounced dead by a medical attendant in the hospital.

The victim Ashby was identified by next of kin.