CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — A man from Harrison was arrested on Friday in connection with a January 2020 boating death, according to a release from officials.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said that Michael Smith was booked into Hamilton County Jail. They investigated the incident which led to the death of Theresa Parker on the Chickamauga Reservoir on January 15, 2020.
Parker and Smith were two of three people in a canoe that capsized on the reservoir, near the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, according to a release. Officials said no life jackets were aboard the canoe.
The TWRA had warrants that included three charges of no life jacket, one count of a registration violation and one count of reckless operation that resulted in death.
They investigate and identify contributing factors for every boating incident across Tennessee, according to a release. The TWRA said that there were 32 boating deaths on Tennessee waters in 2020.
They said that alcohol and drugs were contributing factors in 30% of incidents. There were also 61 serious injury incidents, which insured 82 people. TWRA officers also made 62 boating under the influence arrests.