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Buddy Wayne Johnson, 37, and Calindo Cassavette Fletcher, Jr., 20, killed in kayaking accident on Summit Lake in Athens, Alabama

Modified Date: 
Tue, 05/31/2022 - 3:07pm
Accident Date: 
Saturday, July 4, 2015

Kayak accident leaves 1 man dead, another man hospitalized

Authorities say a 20-year-old man took another kayak out to help the man, but he also fell into the water. ATHENS, Ala. (AP) - Authorities say one man has died and another is hospitalized after a kayaking accident on a lake in Athens. Johnson says CPR was done on the 37-year-old, but he later died at a hospital. Hollman tells WHNT-TV that a 37-year old man was in a kayak that tipped over. Police Chief Floyd Johnson tells The News Courier that officers and firefighters helped to retrieve both men from the lake.

UPDATE: Buckhorn graduate dies following weekend kayak accident in Athens, tried to save man from drowning

Holly Hollman, spokesperson for the City of Athens, said Johnson's kayak tipped over three times.  Johnson was able to climb back into the craft the first two times, but failed the third time.  Police say Fletcher swam out to assist.

Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death

After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?

Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.

Type: Boat Accident
People Involved: 
Buddy Wayne Johnson
Calindo Cassavette Fletcher, Jr.
Roadway: 
Summit Lake
City: 
Athens, AL
County: 
Limestone County, AL
Area: 
Huntsville-Decatur, AL

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