Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents are investigating a fatal boating incident that happened on July 4 in Livingston Parish.
The body of Madison Bradley, 17, of Slidell, was recovered from the Blind River around 8 p.m. on July 4.
LDWF agents were notified about a missing boater around 5:40 p.m. According to the other people on the boat, Bradley was a passenger on a pontoon boat with five other people. She was riding on the bow in front of the protective rail with another male passenger. The boat hit a wake from a passing vessel and it knocked Bradley and the male passenger into the water.
Bradley did not resurface after suffering severe prop strikes. The male passenger was able to resurface and had minor injuries.
LDWF arrested the operator of the vessel, David Crowe, 33, of Denham Springs, for vehicular homicide, operating or driving a vessel while impaired (DWI), and reckless operation of a vessel. He was booked into the Livingston Parish Jail.
Vehicular homicide brings a $2,000 to $15,000 fine and five to 30 years in prison. DWI brings a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six month in jail. Reckless operation of a vessel carries up to a $200 fine and 90 days in jail.
LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for this fatal boating incident. Bradley’s body was turned over to the Livingston Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death.
LDWF agents along with the Livingston, Ascension & St. John Parishes Sheriff’s Offices, Livingston Fire Districts 2 & 9 assisted in the search.
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