On Monday March 13, 2023 at approximately 9:16PM I, State Game Warden, was contacted by State Game Warden in reference to a boat accident on the Brazos River near Spring Creek. I responded in my patrol vehicle with emergency lights and siren activated. Bosque County Sheriff's Office, Brazos Point Volunteer Fire Department, and North Bosque EMS were already on scene when I arrived. 

I found a way to the Brazos River and found other units out with the victims of this accident near the waters edge. I observed a boat flipped upside down on the large rocks on the bank of the river. When I walked down the embankment, I saw two individuals in a separate boat who were camping across the river and called 911 for help when the accident occurred. I then began to help the other first responders with a young man who was lying face down in the rocks that was unconscious. I later identified this individual. Deceased was found to be the passenger on this vessel during the accident. 

I assisted the other first responders with loading Deceased into a rescue basket and carried him up the hill to the awaiting ambulance. I observed another individual that medical staff was assisting up the hill who was also involved in the accident. I helped them get to the ambulance as well. I later identified this individual as operator. While waiting for medical staff to begin treatment on Deceased, I briefly spoke with Operator. He told me that he was operating the vessel that night and couldn’t remember what happened to cause the wreck. Operator was then loaded into the ambulance and transported near highway 56 where other first responders had set up a landing zone for a CareFlite helicopter. 

Operator was then unloaded from the ambulance as the medical staff was preparing Deceased to fly him to the hospital. I retrieved some basic information from Operator and asked him if he had consumed and alcohol that night and stated he did not. Operator stated that he had put his boat on the water at approximately 1:00PM at Plowman Park. He stated that Deceased later met him at the park at approximately 4:00PM. I used my phone so Operator could call his father and let him know of the accident. 

State Game Warden arrived on scene and went with me back to the Brazos River to speak with the witnesses and begin the accident investigation. The two individuals that were camping across the river were identified. The witnesses stated that they saw Operator and Deceased pass by their camp at approximately 7:30pm that evening going up river. They stated that Operator and Deceased beached the boat and walked upriver (assuming they went to fish the shallow water). The witnesses stated that later that evening around 9:00 they heard the boat start up and they could hear them get on plane and sounded like they were moving quickly downriver. The witnesses both stated that they could hear one of the individuals on the boat yell out “left, left left” and then they heard the crash. Witness1 called 911 at approximately 9:07pm and they began to render aid to the injured parties. Witnesses stated that neither of the individuals were wearing their personal flotation devices when they arrived on scene. 

The next day Warden and I returned to the scene of the accident to document the damages done to the boat and assess the events that unfolded. We picked up all the personal items scattered around, as well as items from the compartments and inventoried these. Later we released the items. 

It appeared that the vessel was travelling down river and struck a small rock that was nearly submerged under the water which created a ramp effect on the boat. The vessel then struck a larger rock behind that, which “ramped” the boat higher into the air and caused the boat to flip over onto its side. As a result of this, both passengers were ejected from the vessel. 

On Saturday March 18, 2023 I was informed that the passenger succumbed to his injuries from the accident.  

State Game Warden later interviewed the driver on March 29, 2023. Operator stated that he was following a trail on his Garmin GPS device that was previously marked on the map. Operator stated he knew the large rocks were coming up soon and idled the vessel down. It was at this time the boat impacted the rocks. Operator stated that he believes that it was an old track from when the water level was higher and was following the wrong track to return to the boat ramp. 

Medical records were requested by the Bosque County District Attorneys office for Operator. After reviewing the medical records provided by Baylor Scott & White for Operator, there were no intoxicants found in the blood analysis taken when he was admitted to the hospital.
1062 BRAZOS RIVER
Brazos Point                  