A Mountain Home man died as a result of injuries sustained during a boating accident Friday afternoon, November 16th on Lake Norfork.  The Sheriff’s Office was notified at approximately 4:16 PM that a pontoon boat was circling in the lake near the Cranfield Marina and appeared to be unmanned.  Sheriff’s Deputy Charles Menschik was dispatched to the location to investigate.  Upon his arrival, he observed the pontoon boat circling in the water approximately ¼ mile to the SW of the boat launch area.  

     Persons on another boat in the same area had stopped to provide assistance, and it was reported that there were a male and a female on the shore, with the male being seriously injured and unresponsive. 

     Paramedics with the ambulance service at Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home were transported by boat over to the area where these people were on the shoreline.  The injured man was subsequently transported to the Emergency Room at the hospital, but he did not survive his injuries. The man was identified as 38 year old ADAM JONES of Mountain Home. 

     The investigation indicated that MR. JONES was on the front of the pontoon boat.  He fell overboard while it was underway and was hit by the boat.  The female, who had been operating the boat, also fell overboard when trying to help, with the unmanned boat then circling in the water. 

     Agencies responding to the call were the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas State Police, Northeast Lakeside Fire Department, 101 Gamaliel Area Fire Department, and Baxter Regional Medical Center Ambulance Service.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff