UNION, Mo. — An eastern Missouri teenager drowned when he tried to swim across the Meramec River, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The patrol said 17-year-old William Bergner Jr., of Bourbon, died Sunday night after the incident inside Meramec State Park.
The patrol said Bergner tried to swim across the river near a campground boat access in Franklin County. He became exhausted and went under the water, and was unable to resurface.
He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
