Authorities in Louisiana Investigating Fatal Boat Crash that Claimed the Life of a Natchitoches Man

Louisiana - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced on December 5, 2022, that enforcement officers are looking into a single-vessel deadly boating accident that took place on December 3 in Natchitoches Parish.

LDWF agents discovered Jack Crowell, 37, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, was operating a 17-foot boat in the Cane River with his four-year-old son as a passenger. Crowell's vessel reportedly collided with a downed tree in the waterway around 6:30 p.m., ejecting him from the vessel while his child stayed aboard.

There were people on surrounding vessels who witnessed the boating event. These good Samaritans immediately dialed 911 for assistance and were able to transport the son onto one of their watercraft. A few minutes later, the good Samaritans saw Crowell in the river and were able to pull him out.

Crowell was brought to the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center after Emergency Medical Services and the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office arrived on the scene. He was subsequently taken to Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport, Louisiana where he died at about 1 a.m. on December 4.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will lead the investigation into this catastrophic boating accident. The son did not require medical attention and was not injured. Crowell was wearing a manually inflated Type 5 personal flotation device (PFD), and his PFD was not inflated when he was pulled from the river. Crowell's engine cutoff switch was similarly connected to his PFD, and it worked properly to turn off the engine after he was ejected.