Incident occurred near Negreet Creek about 7:15 a.m., LDWF says
A 74-year-old Iowa, La. man died early Friday morning after being ejected from his boat in the Negreet Creek area of Toledo Bend Reservoir, according to a news release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
David W. McManus was pronounced dead at the scene, and his passenger in the 15-foot aluminum boat McManus was operating was flown to University Health Hospital in Shreveport and is in stable condition, according to the release.
According to witnesses and survivors, the accident happened about 7:15 as McManus was following another boat to head out fishing and apparently hit their wake, the release states. Both men, who were not wearing life jackets or a kill switch, were thrown into the water, according to the release.
The driver of the first vessel saw the McManus boat circling the men in the water, and was actually struck by the now-empty boat during the rescue attempt. The lead boat eventually retrieved McManus, who was unresponsive, and a nearby fisherman retrieved the second passenger, the release states.
First responders pronounced McManus dead at the scene, and his body was turned over to the Sabine Parish Coroner’s Office to determine the official cause of death. Agents with LDWF eventually got control of McManus’ boat and were able to recover it from the water, the release states.
The LDWF is still investigating the cause of the accident.
