Texas Game Wardens Investigating Multiple Water-Related Incidents

Texas Game Wardens are investigating several incidents from the July 4th holiday weekend, including multiple fatalities.
On Monday, game wardens recovered the fourth victim from a canoeing accident on Houston County Lake. Three victims were recovered late Sunday afternoon and the incident remains under investigation.

Also Monday night, game wardens led by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Dive Team recovered a victim who had driven into Richland Chambers Lake.

A 41-year-old Marble Falls man was arrested by game wardens late Saturday and booked into the Burnet County Jail on intoxication assault charges after the boat he was allegedly operating collided with a Marble Falls Police Department marine safety patrol vessel on Lake Marble Falls. A Marble Falls police captain onboard the patrol vessel was seriously injured.

Game wardens are also investigating the death of a five year old girl that occurred Saturday on Lake Travis near Austin, but are not releasing her name at this time. Mechanical failure may have caused the death.

Other incidents encountered by game wardens during the holiday weekend included: responding to nine boating accidents, recovering two stolen boats, conducting nine search and rescue events, and multiple felony arrests. While on patrol through the July 4th holiday weekend, game wardens contacted over 47,000 boaters. A total of 63 arrests were made for boating while intoxicated.

“I appreciate the hard work and dedication of our Game Wardens who work every day to protect our citizens and our natural resources,” said Colonel Craig Hunter, TPWD Law Enforcement Director. “We also realize this is a difficult time for families and friends who have lost loved ones and TPWD would like to extend our deepest sympathies to those affected by the tragedies.”

TPWD recommends you learn to swim, closely supervise children while on or near the water, utilize a designated driver, wear a life vest, take a boater education course, and use the ignition safety switch while operating a motorized vessel.