WW Sheriff's Dept: Extra Weight in Boat Contributed to Drowning
Timmy Bowden
The Walla Walla County Sheriff's department believes that excessive weight in the fisihing boat that 14 year old Timmy Bowden was travelling in on the snake river the night of June 23rd helped contribute to the boat's sinking and Bowden's drowning
Undersheriff Eddie Freyer tells us that the department estimates that between people and equipment, the boat was carrying over 700 pounds--it was designed to carry 200 pounds.
The boat sank near Burbank just before midnight on June 23rd--Bowden was the only one of the five people aboard not to return to shore safely. he was not wearing a life jacket. Freyer says the recovered boat has no structural damage