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BATON ROUGE — Agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries were out in Concordia Parish and across the state this weekend participating in Operation Dry Water. The operation is to enforce boating safety laws and educate boaters about boating safety and the dangers of boating while intoxicated. 

According to a release from the LDWF, agents arrested 12 boaters statewide for alleged driving or operating a vessel while intoxicated (DWI) from July 2 to 4. At this time there were not any stats available about how many safety checks or tickets were issued in Concordia Parish or the state. 

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks had a busy weekend conducting and issuing:

• 414 total citations
• 46 alcohol and drug violations
• 25 BUI arrests
• 1,792 safety checks

There was one boating fatality this weekend caused by a boater driving while intoxicated.  Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents are investigating a fatal boating incident that occurred on July 4 in Livingston Parish. 

The body of Madison Bradley, 17, of Slidell, was recovered from the Blind River around 8 p.m. on July 4. She is the 17th boating fatality this year in Louisiana according to the LDWF.

Agents were notified about a missing boater around 5:40 p.m.  According to the other people on the boat, Bradley was a passenger on a pontoon boat with five other people.  She was riding on the bow in front of the protective rail with another male passenger.  The boat hit a wake from a passing vessel and it knocked Bradley and the male passenger into the water.

Bradley did not resurface after suffering severe prop strikes.  The male passenger was able to resurface and had minor injuries.

LDWF arrested the operator of the vessel, David Crowe, 33, of Denham Springs, for vehicular homicide, operating or driving a vessel while impaired (DWI), and reckless operation of a vessel.  He was booked into the Livingston Parish Jail.

Vehicular homicide brings a $2,000 to $15,000 fine and five to 30 years in prison.  DWI brings a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six month in jail.  Reckless operation of a vessel carries up to a $200 fine and 90 days in jail.

LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for this fatal boating incident.  Bradley’s body was turned over to the Livingston Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death.

LDWF agents along with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office participated in the search.