WINCHESTER, Tenn. (WZTV) — A collision between two personal watercraft on Tims Ford Lake resulted in one fatality and one injury on Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:20 p.m. near the Tims Ford Bass Club boat ramp. Authorities reported that Christopher W. Bontrager, 41, of Missouri, and John H. Prater, 41, of Tracy City, each operated separate watercraft when the crash transpired.
Bontrager was pronounced dead at the scene. Prater was transported to Highpoint Health in Winchester with serious injuries.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident.
Officials noted that Bontrager’s death marks the 12th boating-related fatality on Tennessee waterways in 2026.