Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents are investigating a fatal boating incident that occurred in Evangeline Parish on Oct. 6.
The body of Daniel R. Reed, 71, of Jennings, was recovered from Chicot Lake around 9 a.m. on Oct. 7.
Agents were notified about a missing boater around 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 in Chicot Lake. Agents responded immediately and began searching the area. LDWF agents along with deputies from the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office and Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Evangeline Parish Firemen and Chicot State Park Rangers searched until around 3 a.m. on Oct. 7.
The search crews resumed at first light on Oct. 7 and found Reed’s vessel in a cove. His body was found shortly thereafter in close proximity to the vessel.
LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for this fatal boating incident. It is unknown at this time what caused Reed to fall overboard. Reed was not wearing a personal flotation device. His body was turned over to the Evangeline Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death.
