One man dead after boating accident on Kinkaid Lake

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. (KFVS) - A Desoto man is dead following a boating accident that occurred on Wednesday in Kinkaid Lake.

On May 31, around 7:07 p.m., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a boating accident on Kinkaid Lake near the spillway in rural Murphysboro, Ill. The accident involved an 18-foot aluminum Jon boat.

Initial reports said that a man and a woman had been on their boat, later identified as 69-year-old Deborah Daugherty and her husband, 80-year-old Lawrence Daugherty of Desoto, Mo. The boat crashed, causing both to be thrown from the boat and into the water.

Another boater located the couple in the water and was able to get Deborah aboard their boat. However, Lawrence was not able to be located. Deborah was later transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

A search of the lake commenced and last until after midnight, when the search was postponed until the following morning. Around 1:04 p.m., on June 1, divers with the MABAS Division 45/68 sonar and dive team located Lawrence in approximately 50 feet of water near where the crash occurred.

Lawrence was later transported from the scene by the Jackson County Coroner’s Office. Investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Copyright 2023 KFVS. All rights reserved.