On August 26, 2023, Sgt. and I were working a district wide detail. I received a call from Lt. and Officer about a fatality that had occurred on the Caney Fork River in Smith County. The body was already recovered by rescue squad and Smith County EMS and were already en route to Riverview Hospital in Carthage. I met the crews there, along with the family members that witnessed the incident. I interviewed the son of victim, as he was a witness to the whole event. 

They had started kayaking at approximately at 1200 and had stopped at the gravel bar behind the I40 rest stop on the Smith/Putnam county line for a lunch break. On departure, Victim left the gravel bar first while his son and daughter-in-law packed the rest of their belongings. Victim went down the river approximately 40 yards when his son heard him yell his name. When Son turned around he saw Victim was already out of his kayak and in the water. 

When Son got to Victim, he was floating face down on top of the water, his face was blue and he was unresponsive. Son pulled him to the bank and started CPR. He did CPR for a few minutes then ran up to the rest stop to find some one to call 911. Once the call was made, he went back down and started CPR again until Rescue Squad arrived. 

Once Rescue Squad arrived, they placed Victim into their boat and transported him down river to Happy Hollow Boat Ramp, placed him in an ambulance and was transported to Riverview Hospital.

CANEY FORK RIVER
GORDONSVILLE                  