RedactedNarrative: On 4/10/22 at approximately 4:30pm, I (CPO) was dispatched to a boat accident at Matanzas Lake involving a kayaker who had overturned and been pulled from the water in an unresponsive state by emergency personnel. Three other kayakers were present at the time of the incident but were uninjured. At approximately 5:48pm I arrived at the Mason District Hospital to speak with all parties involved. CPO also arrived to assist with my investigation. Upon my arrival I met with Mason County Coroner who explained Victim had been pronounced deceased at 4:54pm. Coroner also stated the other three subjects were uninjured and were able to speak with me about the incident.
  CPO and I then interviewed each of the three kayakers.
  
  I first interviewed and collected a written statement from Subject1. According to Subject1, he and the group were renting a guest house on the lake shore and decided to kayak across the lake using kayaks belonging to the rental house. Subject1 stated the group started across the lake between 1:30pm and 2:30pm intending to reach the opposite shore and return. Approximately halfway across the lake, Subject1 explained, Victim fell out of his kayak when it overturned. 
  
  According to Subject1 he and the others immediately tried to help Victim get back into his vessel. Subject1 stated the wind and waves were very strong and Victim was unable to get back into his kayak. Subject1 also said Victim was able to hold onto the kayak being operated by Subject2. Subject1 went on to explain, he then fell out of his kayak but was able to hold onto it and drift to the opposite flooded tree line and eventually get back into the vessel. During this time Subject3 also drifted along with Subject1 and they both came to rest along the opposite flooded tree line. Subject1 stated he and Subject3 lost sight of Subject2 and Victim around that time and assumed the two had been able to paddle back to the house for help. See Subject1’s written statement.
  
  Subject1 confirmed all four were wearing personal floatation devices.
  
  I then interviewed and collected a written statement from Subject3. According to Subject3 the group set out in kayaks at approximately 1:00pm, but she was unsure of the exact time. Subject3 explained the lake was “slightly windy” at the time, but in their judgement it seemed fine to kayak. Subject3 stated approximately halfway across the lake Victim decided to turn around as he could not swim and was becoming nervous. According to Subject3, Subject1 agreed to head back with him but at that time Victim fell out of his kayak when it overturned. Subject3 said the group all rushed to help Victim, and she specifically attempted to retrieve his kayak as it drifted away.
  
  Subject3 went on to say it was at this point she saw Subject1 fall out of his kayak. According to Subject3 she was then pushed by the wind towards the opposite flooded tree line and Subject1 was able to swim toward her. She then helped Subject1 get back into his kayak, and the pair lost sight of Subject2 and Victim. Subject3 explained the wind was too strong to paddle back so they remained in that location until rescue came and picked them up in a boat.
  
  CPO interviewed and collected a written statement from Subject2. According to Subject2, the group started across the lake in kayaks at approximately 1:30pm. Subject2 stated, after a short time the wind and waves made it difficult to paddle. At that time Victim fell out of his kayak. Subject2 explained, Victim was able to hold onto his (Subject2’s) kayak as he attempted to paddle back to shore. 
  
  However he was unable to paddle against the wind and he decided to let the kayak drift to the flooded tree line instead. Subject2 stated, once he and Victim reached the trees he was able to stabilize the kayak and hold onto Victim. Subject2 explained, Victim was still in the water holding onto the kayak, but he was very cold and “not really able to speak”. Subject2 stated he held onto Victim for some time before deciding he had to try paddling back to get help. According to Subject2, when he went to get help Victim was holding onto a stump trying to keep his head above the water.
  
  Upon returning to the shore where they had launched the kayaks, Subject2 knocked on the doors of two houses before he was able to reach someone to call for help.
  I then spoke with emergency personnel who were at the scene at the time of the rescue. Mason County Sheriff’s Deputy Coroner confirmed Victim was wearing a personal floatation device at the time he was pulled from the water. Deputy Coroner also provided a call log showing the initial report from Subject2
  was received by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office at 3:23pm and Victim was removed from the water at approximately 3:55pm.
  
  This investigation is on going at this time, and additional information will be added as it is received
  