Report Shows Alabama Boater had no Warning Before Accident

A report from Alabama Marina Police says a boater had no warning about a downed power line that killed an angler on the Tennessee River.

A bass boat traveling as much as 70 mph struck a low-hanging wire that was being worked on by Tennessee Valley Authority crews on Tuesday. The accident killed 65-year-old Anthony Szozda of Athens.

The Marine Police report says the boater told officers no one was blocking the river, and the line wasn’t marked.

The driver also told police there were no markings in the water to warn boaters about the line.

The Coast Guard says it used a radio message to close the river, but the boater didn’t have a radio to hear a warning.

TVA says it is reviewing procedures after the accident.