ON 3/22/11, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM RALEIGH COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT A BOAT ACCIDENT ON THE MEHERRIN RIVER.  I RESPONDED TO MURFREESBORO ACCESS AREA AND MET EMS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR.  I WAS TOLD THAT operator HAD CAPSIZED HIS BOAT AND SOME PASSING BOATERS HAD PICKED HIM UP AND TAKEN HIM TO THE MURFREESBORO ACCESS AREA WHERE EMS THEN TOOK HIM TO ROANOKE CHOWAN HOSPITAL.

I WENT TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE WITH EM DIRECTOR TO LOOK AT THE BOAT, THE SCENE, AND TO HELP TOW IT IN.  I THEN WENT TO ROANOKE CHOWAN HOSPITAL TO TALK TO operator.  operator TOLD ME HE WAS DRIVING UP THE RIVER AND HIT A SUBMERGED OBJECT IN THE WATER AND IT KICKED HIS MOTOR UP CAUSING WATER TO ENTER THE BACK OF THE BOAT.  operator SAID THAT HIS BOAT THEN WENT UNDER AND HE GRABBED A LIFE JACKET AND A THROW CUSHION AND WENT INTO THE WATER.  operator ALSO TOLD ME THAT HE DRIFTED WITH THE BOAT UNTIL IT GOT HUNG UP NEAR THE SHORE AND THAT WAS WHERE HE STAYED UNTIL TWO PASSING BOATERS SAW HIM AND RESCUED HIM.  operator SAID HE WAS IN THE WATER FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR.  ACCORDING TO EMS AND ROANOKE CHOWAN HOSPITAL, operator WAS CLOSE TO HAVING HYPOTHERMIA.
MURFREESBORO                  