Nearly one year after a drowning incident on Percy Priest Lake, charges have been filed against the boat owner, Felicia King. The Metro Nashville Police Department, alongside the Nashville Fire Department and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency responded to the emergency on September 12, 2024, as initially reported by WSMV. Now, after extensive investigation, King stands accused of criminally negligent homicide in the death of 55-year-old Jason McDonald. WSMV detailed that the victim, a Hermitage resident, had reportedly jumped off the boat near Elm Hill Marina and struggled to swim.
As told by the arrest affidavit, King attempted to aid McDonald by floating the boat to his location and offering a flotation device and a line, however, efforts to save him were in vain. McDonald's body was recovered from the water over an hour later by a recovery team. During the initial investigation, King displayed signs of impairment and declined a test for intoxicants, leading officers to secure a warrant for a blood test, as reported by WKRN. King's blood alcohol content was found to be .067, however, it also tested positive for THC, diazepam, nordiazepam, and amphetamine.
The toxicology report, mentioned by WKRN, suggested that King's BAC might have been between .10 to .14 at the time of the incident. Further investigation by officials determined that King's impaired state and the lack of proper flotation devices on the boat were contributing factors to the aforementioned negligence. King's arrest comes nearly a year later, today, September 10, 2025, followed by her booking into Davidson County Jail on multiple boating violations.
Should King be convicted, the charges carry a sentence of up to six years in prison, FOX17 reported. She is slated for her court appearance this upcoming Friday, which coincides with the one-year anniversary of the tragic drowning.
