NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is investigating the state’s 17th boating-related fatality of the year following an incident in Nashville Saturday afternoon.
According to officials, the Nashville Office of Emergency Management notified the TWRA about a possible drowning near the Hamilton Creek area of the Percy Priest Reservoir shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2.
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The TWRA said the preliminary investigation indicates 74-year-old David Holcroft was aboard his sailboat with his wife, drifting on the lake, at the time of the incident. Holcroft — who wasn’t wearing a personal flotation device — was making adjustments to the vessel near the bow when a series of waves reportedly struck the boat, causing him to lose balance and fall overboard.
Authorities said nearby boaters heard calls for help and entered the water to assist. TWRA officers quickly arrived at the scene and pulled the unresponsive Nashville man aboard their patrol vessel, where they performed CPR.
According to the TWRA, emergency personnel brought Holcroft to TriStar Summit Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
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Officials issued a reminder that wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket is the most effective way to prevent drowning during boating incidents.
The TWRA said Saturday’s incident, which remains under investigation, brought the number of boating-related deaths on Tennessee waters for 2025 up to 17.
No additional details have been released about this incident.
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