RedactedNarrative: On 12-03-2022, at approximately 6:34pm, Operator and his four year old son were navigating southwest on Cane River in Natchitoches Parish. Operator was operating a 17 foot Excel powered by a 50 HP Yamaha tiller handle engine. Operator and the juvenile were both wearing PFD’s. Operator was wearing a type 5 PFD, which is a manual inflatable PFD, and had the engine’s kill switch attached. The juvenile was wearing a type III PFD.     
  
  
         At this time 6:34pm it was dark and Operator was operating his vessel on plane right of mid channel. On this portion of Cane River, there is a large fallen tree with branches protruding from the bank. Operator’s vessel impacted the tree’s branches and ejected him from the vessel into the water. The juvenile was not ejected and remained in the vessel. When Operator was ejected, the kill switch was pulled and the vessel went several yards before coming to a stop. 
  
  
        Within minutes there were other vessels that approached the scene and observed Operator’s vessel floating with the juvenile screaming for help. One vessel was able to recover the juvenile without injuries. A second vessel found Operator floating face down with his PFD on but not inflated. They called 911 and started CPR. EMS and Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene and transported Operator to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. He was then transported by ground to LSU Hospital in Shreveport. Operator was pronounced dead at 0112 on 12-04-2022. The preliminary autopsy report states cause of death is asphyxia secondary to drowning. The toxicology report for Operator had the results of Blood Alcohol Concentration at 0.0069 g/100ml.
  