On 7/13/2023, at 4:43 PM, a 911 call was received by Grapevine Police Department regarding a man disappearing below the surface of the water stemming from an incident while boating on Grapevine Lake. According to another occupant of the vessel (named Vessel 1 in this report), Subject1 and the third occupant of Vessel 1 were swimming in the water next to Vessel 1, near the water discharge tower of the Grapevine Lake dam. 

Subject1 and Subject2 were wearing PFDs. As wind currents pushed Vessel 1 away from Subject1 and Subject2, Victim attempted to operate the vessel back to their location so that they could board it. While Subject2 was able to board the vessel, Subject1 was unable to board due to vessel instability. 

Another failed attempt to approach Subject1 was made by Victim, at which point Victim entered the water without a PFD to secure Subject1. At this time, Victim noticed Vessel 1 being pushed away from their location by the wind and left Subject1 to swim after the drifting vessel. 

While attempting to swim after the drifting vessel, Subject1 stated that Victim screamed in pain and kicked his leg out of the water. Victim then disappeared below the surface of the water.  

At this time, a witness to the events taking place operated his vessel over to the scene and recovered Subject1 from the water. Subject2, who was located within the seating area of Vessel 1, was also placed on Vessel, and the 911 call was placed. 

Subject1, Subject2, and Vessel 1 were all transported back to Dock, where Vessel 1 was rented from. Responders from Grapevine Police Department, Grapevine Fire Department, US Army Corp of Engineers, and Texas Parks and Wildlife arrived at the scene shortly thereafter, with Grapevine FD and TPWD boats beginning a search of the area using side-scan sonar units. 

Searches of the lake bottom using side-scan sonar continued through 7/15/2023, when TPWD dive team identified what appeared to be a human form in 48 feet of water inside the search area, using a towable sonar device. Grapevine Fire Department Dive team was notified, and their divers made recovery of Victim's body at approximately 11:35 AM on 7/15/2023. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office was notified after recovery was made, and responded to Silverlake Marina, where Victim's body was transported to by boat after recovery. Upon arriving at 1:05 PM, Tarrant County Medical Examiner, pronounced Victim Deceased and arranged transport to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office.
0320 GRAPEVINE
Grapevine                     