On the evening of June 8, a 71-year-old man from Lake Charles was fatally injured in a boating accident on the waters of Jefferson Davis Parish. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported that Danny Harrison was operating a 16-foot boat powered by a 40-horsepower hand tiller outboard motor at the time of the incident.
Investigators have reconstructed a preliminary account of the accident, which started when Harrison was thrown overboard after his boat collided with an object in the water. The unmanned boat reportedly continued to circle before eventually striking him. While Harrison was wearing a personal flotation device, he was not wearing the required kill switch lanyard for the type of boat he was operating.
The LDWF Enforcement Division is currently leading the investigation into this fatal incident. The body has been sent to the Jefferson Davis Parish Coroner’s Office. This case highlights the importance of safety measures like the kill switch lanyard, which is designed to shut off the engine if the operator is ejected. The lack of this essential safety device appears to have contributed to the accident.
