Missing boater’s body found on Virginia shoreline
Three died, one survived November boating accident in Potomac
A missing boater’s body was found washed up last weekend along the East- ern Shore of Virginia, officially bringing the people killed in a November boating accident on Potomac River to three. There was one survivor.
The body of Roger Grissom, 52, of Hughes- ville was discovered in a marshy area by a homeowner in Accomack County, Va., around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, ac- cording to Candy Thom- son, spokeswoman for Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police.
Although Grissom’s body was in the water for close to three months, he was easily identifiable because his jeans had his wallet with his driv- er’s license in the pocket, Thomson said. He was wearing a life jacket.
Grissom was one of four people on a Mechanicsville boat that overturned amid choppy waters stirred by strong winds in the Potomac River on Nov. 19. The sole survi- vor, Jason Downing, 39, of Mechanicsville, was treat- ed at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital after being found clinging to the hull of the boat the next morning off shore of White Point Beach near Leonardtown.
Downing made a full recovery and was released from the hospital shortly after the accident, Thomson said.
The other two men who died in the accident were the boat’s owner, Gregory Moore, 55, of Mechanics- ville, and William Edelen Jr., 48, of White Plains.
Bad weather was the cause of the boat capsiz- ing, Thomson said. The searchers dealt with 40 mph wind gusts, three-foot waves and water tempera- tures in the 50s during the weekend of the accident.
The 32-foot Reel Intimidator was on its way back after participating in a fishing tournament hosted by the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing As- sociation. A mayday radio signal was sent in the late afternoon on Nov. 19 and rescue teams responded to search for the boat.
The overturned boat was spotted by the U.S. Coast Guard’s helicopter crew the next morning. The rescue crew was unable to locate Grissom’s body at the time.