On Sunday, 08/13/2023, at around 7:20 pm, a fisherman called in a report of an unoccupied SUV and a drifting PWC at Rock Creek Boat Ramp, on Tims Ford Lake, in Estill Springs.  The SUV had a trailer backed into the water and was running.  The fisherman had arrived at about 7:06 pm and noticed the SUV but thought that maybe the owner had taken his boat out for a quick run and was coming right back.  After about 15 minutes, the fisherman was getting more concerned and noticed a PWC drifting near the opposite bank, on the edge of the no wake zone.  The fisherman then called 911 to report the situation.  Estill Springs PD, Franklin County SO, Franklin County Rescue Squad, TN State Park Rangers and TWRA responded to the scene that night. The registration for the vehicle and vessel showed that they belonged to OP1 of Estill Springs.  Attempts were made to contact OP1 or family of OP1 at the address listed on the registrations and by making phone calls to possible contacts found by Franklin County Dispatch. Attempts were also made to locate the operator of the PWC by searching the banks and water around the ramp and divers checked the bottom of the lake around the ramp and the dock as well, all attempts at locating the operator of the PWC, or family of the operator, were unsuccessful on the night of the incident.  
Efforts to locate OP1 were continued the following morning and his body was located by TWRA using an ROV and was then recovered by divers from the Franklin County Rescue Squad.  OP1''s son arrived on scene around the time that the body was discovered and was able to identify OP1''s body once it was recovered.  A friend of OP1 was on scene when TWRA officers arrived the morning following the incident. RP1 told officers that he had been with OP1 on the day of the incident up until about 5:00 pm.  At that time, OP1 had left RP1’s dock on his PWC to head back to Rock Creek Boat Ramp to take the PWC off of the water.  There was a storm that was coming in and hit the area shortly after OP1 started towards the boat ramp.  When OP1''s PWC was recovered, there was a dock line attached and dangling in the water.  The PWC was not running and had the kill switch still in place.  It appears that OP1 had made it to the dock at the boat ramp and backed his trailer into the water, then went back to the dock to move the PWC to the trailer.  At some point in the process, OP1 ended up in the water and his PWC was drifting free of the dock.   When OP1''s body was discovered, he did not have a PFD on.  There was a PFD found in the back of OP1''s SUV.  There was evidence of possible alcohol use on the PWC and a blood sample was obtained from OP1''s body while it was at the hospital.  The blood sample was taken to TBI to be tested and determine OP1''s BAC at the time of the incident.

The results of the blood test are included in the case file.  The alcohol test showed that OP1''s BAC was 0.062 and the drug test found no evidence of any drugs that they check for.  Although we do not know exactly what happened in this incident, investigating officers feel that OP1 not wearing a (PFD), the weather at the time of the incident, and alcohol use were all likely contributing factors.  The fact that OP1 was not wearing a PFD at the time of the incident is considered the primary contributing factor in this incident. We don''t know exactly when the incident occurred, however, based on what we learned from OP1''s friend, it is likely that OP1 arrived at the boat ramp during the storm. The strong winds and rain from the storm also likely contributed to the incident.  Offic
TIMS FORD RESERVOIR
ESTILL SPRINGS                