Investigation underway after man dies in boating incident in Middle TN. Here’s what we know

A man died in a boating incident near Tims Ford Bass Club in Middle Tennessee. The victim, identified as Christopher W. Bontrager, 41, of Missouri, was pronounced deceased on the scene, while another man, John H. Prater, 41, of Tracy City, Tennessee, was hospitalized. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is leading the investigation, which has recorded 12 boating-related fatalities in Tennessee waterways in 2026.