Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Brad Johnson on July 20, 2009, 02:48:10 PM
-
I was there as this happened. They had just started back to the dock to load up and go home. From what I saw, and from what I gleaned from the seven-way screaming that passed for communication, he jumped overboard to pee and never resurfaced. He was only forty or fifty feet from shore, but the lake channel is deep and very abrupt there.
I was on the lake with a buddy and his daughter. We were pulling up to go home, too, when it happened. Aside from the victim's boat we were the only boat there. We patrolled the area for the ten or fifteen minutes it took the lake patrol boat to arrive but, as you can see by the result, were unsuccessful at locating him.
From KCBD Newschannel 11
http://www.kcbd.com/global/Story.asp?s=10752668
7/20/09
Body of drowning victim recovered from Lake Alan Henry
Posted: July 20, 2009 04:45 AM CDT
Updated: July 20, 2009 12:39 PM CDT
Updated by Karin Slyker | email
LUBBOCK, TX. (KCBD) - Late Monday morning, Lubbock authorities recovered the body of a drowning victim from Lake Alan Henry. He is now identified as Daniel Parker, 35, of Payson, Arizona.
Lake Alan Henry is located in Garza county, about 65 miles southeast of Lubbock.
Authorities tell NewsChannel 11 that Parker fell overboard just after 8:00 p.m. Sunday night. He was reportedly one of eight people on a boat registered in his name.
Fourteen units from six agencies responded to the scene, and search rescue attempts continued until about midnight, but were unsuccessful.
A Lubbock dive team returned to the lake Monday morning. And just before 10:00 a.m., they located Parker's body in 38 feet of water, about two miles down from the boat ramp.
His body will now be turned over to the Lubbock County Medical Examiner's office for autopsy.
©2009 KCBD NewsChannel 11. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
-
Very sad.
My wife and I want to get a boat (after a house first) and things like this are lessons to the rest of us.
Just like with a firearm, safety must be upmost in your thoughts while on the water- it's a dangerous place, even to the experienced.
-
I wonder if alcohol was a factor.
-
yea boats can get you quick my paranoia level is high i have vests for my dogs get teased but i'm bring all my mutts home
-
I wonder if alcohol was a factor.
Its scary how many people don't hesitate to go out, get hammer drunk on the boat, and drive it around the lake/river/bay/ocean.
Hell, I'd feel safer driving a car drunk than a boat.......
For some sad reading, google "drunk boat accident" or some similar combination.
-
I wonder if alcohol was a factor.
Yes.
Brad
-
Yes, the death of any person is a sad occassion. However, based on the "he jumped overboard to pee" statement I am more inclined towards "Stupid should hurt". That alcohol and stupid human tricks were combined merely moves me farther away from empathy, sympathy and/or compassion.
My concerns are for your buddy's daughter - I somehow have the feeling from your post that she is not yet a cynical, bitter and jaded adult. My prayers are that she is not "traumatized" by this event.
stay safe.
skidmark
-
I somehow have the feeling from your post that she is not yet a cynical, bitter and jaded adult. My prayers are that she is not "traumatized" by this event.
skidmark
Correct on Item 1. She's 11.
Plenty of McDonalds fries and singing along with the Jonas Brothers at high volume on the hour's drive home to wipe away as much bad as possible, and to soften that which remained. Hopefully that took care of Item 2.
As for jumping overboard to pee, well, that's the way it's done. We're talking about a small ski/fun boat, not a big cabin cruiser with all the facilities. When it's time to relieve yourself you can either pee in the bottom of the boat, or...
Brad
-
So is the speculation that he hit something not he way down or maybe when bobbing back up to the surface? Hard to see how someone could just go under in open lake water if they aren't wearing concrete shoes.
-
Judging from what the news is saying, those onboard the boat are indicating he hit his head on something as he exited. It isn't clear if the impact was during his dive, or the result of tripping and falling as he was getting ready to dive.
Brad
-
As for jumping overboard to pee, well, that's the way it's done. We're talking about a small ski/fun boat, not a big cabin cruiser with all the facilities. When it's time to relieve yourself you can either pee in the bottom of the boat, or...
On my boat, we stand on the gunwhale and pee while hanging on to the overhead winch bar (we have a modified v-hull cruiser that now serves as a shrimpboat, we use a 40' net). Or you can also pee into a bucket...
-
On my boat, we stand on the gunwhale and pee while hanging on to the overhead winch bar (we have a modified v-hull cruiser that now serves as a shrimpboat, we use a 40' net). Or you can also pee into a bucket...
But it's much more fun to dive into the water where the fishies have already peed and pooped, and tread water in the cloud of your own warm pee - especially if you are drunk.
Brad - How's the buddy's daughter doing?
stay safe.
skidmark
-
My level of sympathy drastically decreases when "alcohol was involved." I feel for the poor kid tho, not her fault Daddy applied for a Darwin.
-
I suspect he was not wearing a life jacket. Since I have the swimming ability of a large pebble, I always wear a life jacket when on the water in a small boat.
-
Correct on Item 1. She's 11.
Plenty of McDonalds fries and singing along with the Jonas Brothers at high volume on the hour's drive home to wipe away as much bad as possible, and to soften that which remained. Hopefully that took care of Item 2.
I hope the kid isn't traumatized.
I also wonder how you're doing, Brad?
You witnessed this unfortunate incident as well. =(
-
Correct on Item 1. She's 11.
Plenty of McDonalds fries and singing along with the Jonas Brothers at high volume on the hour's drive home to wipe away as much bad as possible, and to soften that which remained. Hopefully that took care of Item 2.
And yet, when she hits adolescence and her and her friends' brains turn to jelly, I hope she remembers it vividly. Better to learn from the stupidity of strangers than from someone you love.
-
I hope the kid isn't traumatized.
I also wonder how you're doing, Brad?
You witnessed this unfortunate incident as well. =(
Kiddo is fine. According to her Dad she was a little overwhelmed that night after she got home and all was quiet, but seems to have pushed the darker parts of the memory aside now. At least all she saw was a bunch of people screaming and not the actual dive (or, thank goodness, a body).
Her Dad, on the other hand, is a basket case. It's the first time he'd been on the scene while an even like that was taking place and it shook him up but good. If anyone will end up needing to talk to someone about it, he will. I'm sure I'll get to play Garage Psychiatrist for the foreseeable future.
As for me, I'm fine. It isn't the first time I've been privy to Death by Stupid, nor will it likely be the last.
Brad