Per PWD 047-L2000 submitted by HPD Marine Unit officer (Report No. 1116256-23).

"I, Officer with my partner Officer riding unit 24P12 responded to the report of an overturned boat in Lake Houston, near the McKay Bridge where 2 people were missing and presumed to be in the water, at approximately 0306 Hours on 8/6/2023.  Upon arrival Officers met with HFD and Family members on scene who reported that 3 occupants had launched 14' flat bottom metal boat from the shoreline on the west side of Lake Houston, just north of the McKay Bridge.  The vessel was occupied by three people.

Officers spoke to Subject1 and gathered his statement of events.  He stated that the three occupants launched the boat at approximately 0030 hours on 8/6/2023 while the wind was blowing approximately 5-10MPH from the west/southwest with 1-2ft waves.  Subject1 and Subject2 had both been consuming alcohol prior to getting into the boat and none of the occupants had personal flotation devices, lights, sound signals, or other safety equipment.

When the boat made it under the bridge approximately 1500' from where it was launched Subject3 stood up on the front of the boat which caused it to take on water and begin to sink.  All three occupants went into the water.  Subject1 swam to shore but he stated that he did not see what happened to the other occupants, but he did not believe that they made it to shore. Subject1 then told the remaining family members on scene what happened.  All of the family members then began to spread out along the shoreline and began yelling for and looking for the remaining missing people.  After 2 hours of not finding the missing people, they called 911.

Responding officers found the boat was located against the bulkhead where the boat was launched from.  Subject1 stated that he did not know how the boat ended up back against the bulkhead as this was against the wind and current direction.

The Houston police Department Marine unit and Dive team, as well as the Houston Fire Department, and the Texas Game Wardens conducted searches for the missing occupants by water.  Officers received notice from family members that Subject2 had made it out of the water and left the location and returned home, approximately 1 hour away, leaving his phone and keys at the lake, without telling anyone that he made it out of the water.  Subject2 refused to return to the location to give a statement but stated via phone that the boat completely sank and he swam to shore on the southside of the McKay bridge before running to a nearby gas station and finding someone at the gas station who ordered him an uber to get home.

Emergency personnel continued search efforts until 2200 hours on 8/6/23 and then resumed the search again at 0600 hours on 8/7/23.  At 0720 Hours Officer with the Houston Police Department located the body of victim (sic) completely naked approximately 1700 feet north of the bridge against a small island. Due to the condition of the body after being submerged in water for an extended period officers were not able to determine if there were any additional injuries on scene.

The body was transferred to the Harris County Forensic Science Center for an autopsy which has not been completed at this time.

The vessel involved was towed to the Houston Police Department Marine unit building for safe keeping while the incident is investigated.

No charges have been filed and no citations have been issued while this incident is being investigated by the Marine Unit as well as the Houston Police Department Homicide Division."

END REPORT RECEIVED FROM HPD MARINE UNIT
0368 HOUSTON
Atascocita                    