The 19-year-old UCSB student found at the bottom of the Santa Barbara High School pool Monday morning died of an accidental drowning, according to a preliminary autopsy report.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Lt. Butch Arnoldi says the finding is pending toxicological results which usually take two weeks, and is a normal part of the investigation "when a young healthy person dies."
Nicholas Johnson graduated from the high school in 2012, where he was a member of the varsity water polo team. The student athlete was also a member of the water polo team at UC Santa Barbara, a psychology student in his sophomore year, and living in Isla Vista.
Johnson had been doing a "hard swim set" at the pool, according to his father's Facebook page. Three of the high school's swim team members—who also happen to have lifeguard training—made a "heroic effort" to pull him out of the water for resuscitation after spotting his body at the bottom, said Sgt. Riley Harwood, the Santa Barbara Police Department's public information officer.
The victim was taken to nearby Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Santa Barbara High School staff is making arrangements for grief counseling as students return to school Monday after the conclusion of spring break.
