Bridgeport man's hotel death ruled accidental drowning

Police in Lackawanna County are investigating whether drugs and alcohol were involved in the accidental drowning in a hot tub Wednesday of a Bridgeport man who was staying at a Scranton hotel.

Investigators identified the man as John Saviello, 41, of Seventh Street. They said he checked into a room Wednesday at the Clarion Hotel with a woman police identified as Danielle Marlatt.

The two got into the hot tub in the early morning, Scranton City Police Lt. Al Leoncini said, and were seen by another guest who was walking the halls because she could not sleep.

When the guest passed the hot tub again, she noticed "a man face down in the water and a female passed out, sitting on the steps with water up to her neck," Leoncini said.

The woman alerted the front-desk staff, which summoned police, Leoncini said. Medics tried to revive Saviello, but he was pronounced dead at the Community Medical Center in Scranton.

Medical personnel revived Marlatt, who was examined at a hospital, Leoncini said. She could not be reached by phone Thursday.

"All I can say is that he was there with a female. I don't know the relationship," said Andy Jarbola, Lackawanna County district attorney.

The hotel manager said Saviello was not part of a conference or business-related gathering.

On Thursday, Lackawanna County Coroner Timothy D. Rowland ruled the death an accidental drowning. He said that alcohol and drug use might have contributed to the death, but that he wouldn't know until toxicology results were received.

Leoncini said police served a search warrant on the hotel Wednesday afternoon and recovered "evidence we can't get into."

He said investigators found a business card from GlaxoSmithKline in Saviello's possession.

"We believe it was his, but we didn't confirm it yet," Leoncini said. A representative of GlaxoSmithKline's King of Prussia facility did not immediately respond to a request for Saviello's employment history.

Bridgeport Borough police said Saviello was such a recent newcomer to Seventh Street that "we didn't even know he was there." A neighbor said Saviello moved in Feb. 1, with help from a family member, and that a child visited on weekends.

Lauren Leithead, Saviello's landlord, would not divulge any details about his family or work.

"I don't feel comfortable sharing that information," she said in a brief phone interview.