An investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department suggests that an oft-repaired paddleboat and lack of flotation gear were factors in the drowning death of 35-year-old Anthony Green last Monday.
The report reveals that although the Pontiac man was a swimmer, the 46-degree temperatures in Buckhorn Lake contributed to Green’s inability to make it to the shore after the boat began taking on water near Orion Cove apartments.
Green and his 46-year-old companion, Judith Thomas, had taken the paddleboat out for a ride around 4 p.m. Shortly after, witnesses saw the bow of the boat begin to submerge as Green and Thomas attempted to swim to safety.
The Pontiac woman swam to a point where she was able to stand in the water and be rescued. However, Green never made it back.
Members of the Lapeer County Dive Team initiated a search and eventually discovered Green in 12-15 feet of water, only about 70 feet from the shore. He had been in the water for around 40 minutes, deputies estimated.
Green was taken to POH Hospital in Pontiac where he was pronounced dead. Thomas went to St. Joseph Hospital in Pontiac and was reported in good condition.
Deputies said ownership of the watercraft has not been established, primarily because of the lack of registration or any other identification. Residents of the apartment building said the paddleboat had been abandoned and was sitting in a wooded area near the water’s edge. They added that it had been used by various people over the past few years.
During a follow-up inspection, the paddleboat was found to be functional, with no major damage to the hull below the water line. However, the boat was estimated to be more than 20 years old and had obvious signs of repair above and below the water line.
Deputies said the repairs consisted of non-marine grade caulk, duct tape, spray foam and other household materials. They suspect that water may have entered the hull through the patched-up areas and accumulated over time.
Investigators were not able to determine how much water was in the hull when the pair took the boat out.
Sheriff Mike Bouchard stressed the importance of accessible flotation devices when taking a watercraft out on any body of water.
‘Once again we have witnessed the tragic result of a simple oversight of not taking a personal flotation device on a boating excursion,? said Bouchard. ‘No matter how safe or harmless a short trip may seem at the time, tragedy can occur in a split second.
‘If PFDs had been available,? he added, ‘we probably wouldn’t be mourning the death of Mr. Green.?