Vessel – 8’5” Sundolphin Sportsman 8 Plastic Fishing Boat, 2hp engine

On 05/08/2023, at about 12:05 p.m., this vessel was on the southeast side of Lake Kapowsin, closest to the city of Kapowsin, WA, located in Pierce County.

According to Law Enforcement, operator was fishing in Lake Kapowsin alone. A bystander later noticed the unoccupied vessel doing circles while the motor was running and in gear. Pierce County MSU was notified. There were numerous trucks and boat trailers in the parking lot. Due to the small size of the boat, it was determined that the boat may have arrived in a black ford ranger. Officers went to the residence and spoke with wife who verified that victim had gone fishing alone and provided his boat description. Members of the MSU/Dive units arrived and deployed their boat into the water. They located the boat and verified that the boat belonged to victim. They towed the boat back to the dock. He was recovered two days later after he refloated. No visible signs of injury were found on his person. He was operating the boat by himself when he was somehow ejected from the vessel.


0 Injury / 1 Fatalities
Alcohol Involvement: Unknown
PFD: Not wearing
Vessel Operator Mandatory Boater Education Card: No

Kapowsin Lake
Kapowsin                      