Initial Call:

At approximately 20:00 hours Wasatch County Dispatch asked Wasatch County Deputy to respond up to Strawberry on two people who were in the water. I contacted dispatch and asked them if they would like me to respond with our boat. Dispatch stated they would, I informed them that I would have to hook up to the boat and would start getting ready. As I was getting ready I heard on the radio that the persons were out of the water at the Soldier Creek Campground. I told dispatch that I would discontinue responding as the people were out of the water, Wasatch County  Search and Rescue was also canceled. Then I was informed that one person was still missing in the water, I informed dispatch that I would be responding again. I contacted on call Park Ranger to go out with me. We hooked up to the boat and headed to Solider Creek Marina.

Arrival on Scene:

Ranger and I arrived on scene at approximately 21:00 hours, we contacted the command center and asked them where they would like us to go. Command told us to go near the dam and search a grid pattern there.  Ranger, the owner of Strawberry Bay Marina and I launched our boat and started our search.  We worked a grid pattern along the shore line out.

At approximately 23:00 hours Wasatch County Search and Rescue called off the search for the night. We docked our boat in the visitor boat slip and meet with Wasatch County Search and Rescue team and the Wasatch County Sheriff. They asked us to return the following day at 7 in the morning, Ranger stated that he would be returning the next day to help with the search.

June 1st 2010:

Ranger went up to Strawberry to continue searching.

June 6th 2010 20:20 hours:

I called Stawberry Bay Marina owner who had rented the boat to the individuals involved in the incident. I asked Owner some basic information on the boat . When I asked Owner if the boat was underway when the missing individual fell out he stated that he was told that the individual was leaning over the boat washing his hand but that he thinks the boat was underway because the gate on the pontoon boat was bent outward like someone had fallen off when they put the boat in gear, (the gate was fixed the next day).  I asked  if there was any damage to the engine and he stated that at 16:30 they had to go out on the lake and fix the engine because one of the individuals had started the engine when it was already going so his mechanic went out there to fix it.  I asked if the boat had any more damage when they brought it in after the individual was missing and he stated that the gears were shot because he thinks they were underway and when the missing individual fell out they threw the motor into reverse.  I asked if he thought alcohol was involved and he stated yes they had picked up 18 empties from the boat. A Strawberry Bay Marina employee had actually taken the empty beer cans from the boat so the individuals would not get in trouble, but later told the deputy were the empties were located and the Wasatch County Deputy took pictures.

GPS Locaton:

N 40.08.242 W 111.02.585

Notes:

Hard copy of Wasatch County Deputies Report and Strawberry Bay Marina's release waiver located at Deer Creek State Park.

HEBER                         