Vincent Nespoli, 70, dies in apparent drowning at Smith Point County Park, police say

 A Ronkonkoma man pulled out of the water Sunday, off Smith Point County Park, was later pronounced dead and is presumed to have drowned, the Suffolk County police said.

 A county park ranger patrolling about noon on Outer Beach in the park was notified that a man was in distress offshore, the police said in a news release.

The ranger and a good Samaritan then attempted to rescue the man, later identified as Vincent Nespoli, 70, using a life ring before lifeguards used personal watercraft to locate him and bring him to shore, the release said. Once on land, according to the police, lifeguards performed CPR on Nespoli, who was unresponsive. 

An ambulance transported Nespoli to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead, the police said.

An investigation was ongoing. Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives have asked anyone with relevant information to call 631-852-6396. 

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.