On June 18th 2011 at approximately 13:57 Carter County 911 received a call advising of a capsized vessel on Wilbur Lake with two individuals in the water.  Carter County Rescue Squad, Carter County Sheriffs Department, and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency were dispatched to the scene.  Upon arrival on scene at 14:14 by the Rescue Squad, there was one individual still in the lake.  The Rescue Squad used a vessel to rescue the individual who was found with his arm wrapped in a type IV throwable device.  The individual was identified. Victim was transported to Sycamore Shoals Emergency Room.  Victim was later pronounced dead at 18:40 by Emergency Room personnel.  The operator of the vessel was identified. Operator was rescued by another vessel on the lake and received no injuries. 
      Officer arrived on scene at 15:29 on June 18th 2011 along with Lt. and two Officers.  Operator was taken by Lt. to Sycamore Shoals Hospital to perform a blood draw to determine alcohol and drug levels.  The vessel was still capsized on the lake but had been secured by the Carter County Rescue Squad near the southern bank.  The vessel and numerous items were recovered from the lake. The vessel was a 16ft Legend Dagger Canoe equipped with a 28lb thrust trolling motor.  There was evidence of alcohol aboard the vessel when it was recovered.  Also based on a search done by the rescue squad, the capsizing occurred toward the middle of the lake at GPS: 36.341056,-82.120272.  At this location a fishing pole and an empty beer can of same make of alcohol observed on the vessel was observed on the bottom of the lake.  Based on information obtained from The National Service at 13:55 a storm moved through Elizabethton with wind gusts of 35mph.  Tennessee Valley Authority reported releasing an average hourly discharge at Wilbur Dam of 1772 cubic feet at 1pm and 2362 cubic feet at 2pm.
Based on Witness Statements;
     At approximately 13:56 on June 18th 2011, Victim and Operator were fishing on Wilbur Lake when a storm blew in.  The storm was blowing from Wilbur Dam upstream.  Operator was the operator of the vessel while Victim was in the bow seat of the canoe.  Operator then turned toward the southern bank and attempted to reach shore.  At this point the canoe capsized, with the port side gunwale rolling downward and the starboard side gunwale rolling upward.  Both Operator and Victim were thrown into the water.  Operator was rescued by a small aluminum jon boat.  The aluminum jon boat was only equipped with a electric trolling motor.  Victim was in the water holding a type IV throwable,  he did not make it to the bank.  The storm was still over the area, high winds and choppy waves.  Victim remained in the water until the rescue squad pulled him onto the rescue vessel.

ELIZABETHTON                  