RedactedNarrative: On 02/12/20 at approximately 1356 hours, a fatal boating incident occurred in stanly county on lake tillery 600 yards north of stony mountain access area. Stony mountain access area is located at the end of lake tillery rd off of hwy 24/27. The only vessel involved in this incident, was a 17-foot, 2000 polar kraft aluminum boat with a 50 hp johnson outboard motor. The boat had two folding seats, one behind the console on a bench seat and the other at the bow of the vessel, and was owned by operator. There were no other occupants on the vessel at the time of the incident. Operator was fishing from the bow of his vessel while sitting in the seat. The seat back broke off of the seat which caused operator to fall overboard. Operator was unable to keep himself above the surface of the water and drowned near the location of the incident. Operator did not have a personal flotation device (pfd) on his person at the time of the incident.
  
  Operator had been fishing on the west bank of lake tillery just north of stony mountain access area when he fell into the water. The chair on the bow of the vessel was broken and the trolling motor was still in the water when officers arrived on scene. Operator was fishing near a dock where the incident occurred. The owners of the dock noticed that a vessel was floating with no people onboard. When they walked outside to investigate, one witness noticed that a fishing pole was in the water directly on the other side of the vessel. The vessel drifted downsteam and the witness was able to see an individual floating in the water. The only part of the body that the witness observed was the subjects head from the mouth up. Another witness called 911. The witness attempted to throw a pfd to the individual in the water but he was unable to make an attempt to acquire the pfd once it was in the water. Shortly after attempting to throw the pfd to the individual floating in the water, the witness saw the man go under water and never saw him come back up. Water temperature was 56 degrees, with an air temperature of 61 degrees. 
  
  East side fire department rescue squad responded to the scene at approximately 1404 hours. North carolina wildlife law enforcement officers were called to the scene on 02/12/20 at approximately 1404 hours and arrived on scene by boat at approximately 1450 hours. The vessel was found at the scene of the incident which was 600 yards north of stony mountain access area and was drifting near the location where the individual fell into the water.
  
  The vessel was recovered by responding rescue squad members and towed to a nearby dock for further investigation by north carolina wildlife law enforcement officers. The vessel was left untouched by the first responders on scene. There were multiple pfds and a fire extinguisher onboard inside of a compartment at the bow of the vessel. All safety items were wrapped in plastic trash bags inside of the compartment.
  It appears that this incident was a result of equipment failure. According to the stanly county medical examiner, the cause of death was drowning. The occupant was not wearing a pfd. Alcohol nor drugs were a factor and no one was charged as a result of this incident.
  
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