On 07/18/2010 operator and passenger were recreating in the Two Foot area of Old Hickory Lake.  subjects and 7 other people had met at Creekwood Marina arriving at different times between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.  The group had left at approx. 2:00 pm and went straight to the Two Foot area where they anchored close to the volleyball net.  Between the time of 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm another person met with the group at Two Foot.  He is the owner of the PWC.  He drove the PWC from the Rockland Rd. area to Two Foot.  Upon his arrival the person had lent the PWC to operator.  At approx. 3:00 pm another subject stated that she was riding the PWC with operator.  She stated that she was wearing a life jacket and operator had an orange life jacket in his lap.  subject stated that both her and operator switched operating the PWC at least once during he time they were both on it.  Witnesses in the group reported that during the time period from when they arrived at Creekwood Marina and on the PWC operator had consumed anywhere from 2-5 beers and 2 shots of Yeagermeister.  Witnesses also stated that on at least 2 occasions they asked operator to put on the life jacket but he would not.  They stated that he would only hold the lifejacket in his lap. another subject stated that operator and passenger rode the PWC for 30 minutes.  Though subject stated that operator was not wearing a lifejacket while they were riding subject thought that operator was wearing the lifejacket at one point, but he had taken it off when he came to pick her up.  subjects switced as passengers on the PWC.  At this point all witnesses stated that operator was not wearing the lifejacket.  subject was wearing one.  subject stated that they were on the PWC for at least 10 minutes.  They were operating just outside of Two Foot in the river channel.  At one point operator asked if subject wanted to go back and she told him it was up to him.  At this point they were facing the volleyball nets at Two Foot.  operator turned the PWC around to head back out into the channel.  At this point subject stated they hit several large waves.  She said they made it through the first few but after that they both fell of the PWC toward the left side of the vessel.  At this point subject said that it looked like operator either swallowed some water or got the air knocked out of him.  She stated that she asked him if he was all right but he could not reply, he would only nod his head at her.  At this point she said they were both approx. 15 feet from the PWC.  She swam back to the vessel and tried to start it to no success.  The key was in operator's hand.  subject looked at operator at this point and he was still visable in the water.  She estimated that he was 50-70 feet away at this point.  subject then took off her lifejacket and attempted to swim with it over to operator.  By the time she got to where she thought he was he was no longer visable.  When she realized that he had gone under she started to call for help.  A pontoon boat picked her up 1-2 minutes later.  good samaritan called 911 at 5:32 pm.  Three officers recieved the call and were the first boat to arrive at the scene.  We initaially thought the call was for the Stark Knob area and went there first.  When we arrived there we saw emergency crews staging.  Two Fire and Rescue and one EMS got on my boat and we went to the scene.  With the help of subject and good samaritan we started the plot the search area.  Upon arrival we found the orange lifejacket that operator had had in his lap floating in the channel.  Along with TWRA, Wilson County EMA searched for the body until 10:20 pm.  The search resumed in the morning of 07/19/2010 at 8:00.  The body was found  at around 9:00.  An autopsy was performed in Nashville.  Toxicology results found a quantity of 154 mg/dL of Ethanol and 60 ng/mL of Diazepam in operator's heart blood.  A Vitreous sample found 164 mg/dL Ethanol.
HENDERSONVILLE                