Officer was dispatched to the scene for a capsized boat.  The boat was located 294 feet south of the bridge on gratiot road capsized and half sunk.  

Witness stated he and the victim went to a couple bars and then put their boat in the water at the thomas township nature center off of gratiot road.  Once they were in the water, the motor stalled out.  Witness said victim was trying to start the engine when the pull string got stuck in victim's sweatshirt pocket.  After it got stuck, the motor turned on and the boat began to accelerate forward causing the boat to lean to one side and take on water, capsizing the boat.  

Once they were in the water, witness was able to get the string out of victim's pocket and began swimming to shore.  Witness stated he was swimming north against the current, under the bridge and got out where they launched the boat.  

Witness stated neither he nor victim were wearing life jackets.  Dive teams were dispatched to the scene and searched for over an hour with no results recovering victim's body.  Extensive efforts were made to recover body by local agencies.  Body was recovered on 3/16/23 with the assistance of msp cadaver dog unit and turned over to saginaw county medical examiner's office,
TITTABAWASSEE RIVER
THOMAS TOWNSHIP               