Operator A, aka, Victim 1, and Passenger were trolling for fish on Blake Lake in T16 R6 wels.  At approximately 6:30 pm, the passenger, who was located in the bow of the boat, stood up to urinate off the side.  When the passenger sat back down it rocked the boat to one side.  The gunwale dipped under the water and partially filled the small fishing boat with water.  At that point the boat overturned throwing both passenger and operator A into the water.  The passenger started to swim to shore which was approximately 100 feet away.  Passenger looked back several times in an attempt to find operator A but could not.  At one point, the passenger thought he saw operator A trying to get a hold of the overturned boat but passenger is not positive that was what he actually saw.

Passenger yelled for operator A for approximately 45 minutes but saw no sign of him.  Passenger got into his vehicle and warmed up for approximately 20 mins before driving out of the remote location to get help.  Operator A never re-surfaced.

Passenger stated during an interview that he had consumed quite a bit of alcohol that day.  Passenger stated that operator A had two shots of passenger's mixed whiskey drink and one beer earlier in the day.

Passenger stated that they had two PFD's in the boat but niether passenger nor operator A were wearing a PFD.  Passenger stated that when he returned to the scene after calling for help, he located one of the PFD's floating in the debris field and he picked that up along with the rest of the debris.  The other PFD was located in the boat at the time the boat was recovered.

Maine's Medical Examiner's Office has a blood sample from operator A/victim 1 and will test for chemicals including Alcohol.  Results pending.

Maine Warden Service searched the water the night of the accident until approximatley 12:00 am.  The search resumed the next morning (4-24-2012) with Maine Warden Service divers.  The body was located early in the search and recovered.  The boat was also recovered and remains in Warden Service custody until end of investigation.

Eagle Lake                    