RedactedNarrative: On Saturday, June 9th, 2018 at 1600 hours, I was contacted by the Crisp County 911 Dispatch Center in reference to a possible drowning on Lake Blackshear in Crisp County.  Dispatched informed me an individual flipped his kayak, went underwater and had not resurfaced.  The incident occurred at 1559 hours, and was located north of Loren Williams Park.  At 1603 hours, I notified Sergeant of the boating incident.  
  
  At approximately 1636 hours, Sgt., Cadet, and I arrived on scene by patrol vessel.  According to witness Deputy, the incident occurred approximately 160 yards west.  Deputy was off duty and boating on Lake Blackshear when this boating incident occurred.  Several Crisp County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were already staging incident command at the above address and gathering witness’s statements.  We utilized the patrol vessel’s side scan sonar in an attempt to locate the missing kayaker.
   
  Several witnesses were in the area when the incident occurred.  According to witnesses, a strong storm was moving into the area, causing very choppy waves.  Two separate vessels witnessed Victim and subject in separate kayaks.  Both vessels observed Victim trying to flag them down for assistance, due to the waters being rough. 
  
  Assisting vessel number one was a pontoon boat.  Good samaritan1 stated both the kayakers began to scream for assistance.  Good samaritan1 said Victim had turned his kayak over and tried to enter the pontoon boat from the rear.  Victim fell back into the water and attempted to get on Subject’s kayak, causing her kayak to tip over and dump her into the water.  Good samaritan1 stated the other occupants of his vessel were attempting to throw Victim lifejackets since he was in the water.  Subject was able to get on the pontoon safely, but witnesses said Victim went under and never resurfaced.  In another witness statement, she heard Subject yelling he (Victim) couldn’t swim.  
  
  Assisting vessel number two was a red ski boat, operated by Deputy.  Deputy stated Victim was flagging them down and requesting help, due to Subject having a severe panic attack.  Deputy stated him, along with other witnesses in the other boat, attempted to throw several floating devices to Victim for him to grab onto.  Deputy stated Victim went under at one point and came back up still clinging onto a yellow life vest.  Due to him panicking, Victim went back under and never came back up.  An occupant of Deputy’s vessel had entered the water in an attempt to locate Victim underneath the water.
  
  A Crisp County Sheriff’s Office patrol vessel picked up Subject and Victim’s floating personal belongings.  The items were recovered north of the incident scene and included, a blue in color Sundolphin, Aruba 8 kayak, eight feet in length, belonging to Subject.  A green in color Sundolphin, Aruba 10 kayak, ten feet in length, belonging to Victim.  Two paddles, one can of sunscreen, one cellphone, green soft cooler, grey soft cooler, pink soft cooler and a pink drawstring bag.  All items were photographed by the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office and returned to the family. 
  
  The patrol vessel’s side scan sonar was used to search for Victim’s body until approximately 2330 hours, but was not located.
  
  On Sunday June 10th, at approximately 0620 hours, the search resumed for Victim’s body.  Shore sweeps were conducted Sumter County Fire and Rescue, and Crisp County Sheriff’s Office personnel.  Two Game Warden patrol vessels equipped with side scan sonar searched the incident area until the Georgia Department of Natural Reso
  