Richard A. Miller, 71 of Joppa, MD, went missing Wednesday afternoon after his rowboat capsized in Dark Head Creek in Middle River, MD. At the time of the accident, passerbys attempted to throw Miller a flotation device but he was unable to reach it.The MD DNR responded and were able to use side-scan sonar to eventually find Miller's body early this morning (August 18, 2016).
Authorities searched the water for hours Wednesday but to no avail. The search resumed today with several boats employing boat-side and submersible sonar systems to scan the creek bed, according to the Baltimore Sun. Details as to the cause of the accident remain uncertain. Last year there were 21 boating-related fatalities in the state of Maryland. This year there have been at least 11 so far. Investigators urge boaters to stay safe on the water and have life jackets handy.