RedactedNarrative: In the afternoon of July 20th, 2021, Operator and his two sibling arrived at Freeman Lake City Park, in Hardin County Kentucky, for a day of recreation.  At 15:27, Operator rented a kayak (park designated identification number "1") from the park office, while his two siblings rented a paddle boat. Operator then went down to the park's boat dock on the lake and was issued a type III PFD by park employee. 
  
  Employee instructed Operator to wear the PFD. Operator reportedly replied that he was a "Marine" and that he didn't need it, though he did put the type III PFD (serial number: 3H3131C) in his kayak. The vessel he rented was an orange Sun Dolphin Aruba 10, ten-foot-long single occupant kayak with a Hull Identification Number of JOK80969D717. 
  
  At the time he boarded the kayak, Operator was wearing a long sleeved gray shirt, jeans, a ball cap, and slip on boots. Operator then piloted the kayak out into the lake, while Employee turned his attention to assisting the two siblings with the paddle boat. 
  
  At approximately 15:40, Operator had ventured about 100 yards from the dock when his kayak capsized, throwing him into the water.  He began to struggle while in the water and called out for help. By this time his siblings were about 30 yards away in the paddle boat, and could clearly see that he was in distress. They were unable to reach him, so the siblings began to shout for assistance. One of the sibling called EMS at 15:43. 
  
  City Park manager was standing outside of the park's office when he heard cries for help coming from Operator's siblings. Manager raced down to the dock area to procure a boat in an attempt to aid the drowning man, but he witnessed Operator's head go underwater- never to resurface- before he could even launch the vessel. 
  
  Witnesses were fishing in kayaks in the same general vicinity of the lake as Operator. They did not see Operator’s kayak overturn, but they did hear the calls for help and began to paddle towards him. They reached Operator’s kayak before Manager, and could see no signs of Operator, nor any air bubbles. 
  
  When Manager arrived at the accident site, he too, found only an empty kayak with the PDF still inside the hull. EMS arrived within minutes and fire department personnel launched two vessels in an attempt to drag the accident site for the victim. Dive teams from Campbellsville and LMPD eventually arrived at the scene and attempted to recover Operator. Recovery efforts were suspended before midnight on July 20th, but resumed the next morning at 11:00. His body was recovered by the LMPD dive team at 15:20 on July 21st, 2021, and was taken into custody by the Hardin County Coroner.  Toxicology labs were obtained but his body was not referred for autopsy.  HIs toxicology results did not detect any evidence of drugs nor alcohol and his death was subsequently ruled an accident by the Coroner.
  
  
  * All times are Eastern Standard Time
  
  