A Tullahoma man has died after drowning near Dabs Ford Bridge in Hillsboro Tuesday (Oct. 22) morning during a fishing trip.
Deceased is Dustin Buckner, 35, of Tullahoma. According to authorities, Buckner was fishing with his sister and brother-in-law when he went into the water. Coffee County Sheriff’s Department chief investigator Billy Butler said the drowning “appears to be accidental.”
“It looks like he may have cast his line and got it tangled in a tree or something and he possibly fell in the water trying to get it untangled and then got himself tangled in his own fishing line,” explained Butler.
According to the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, the three arrived at approximately 5 a.m. Tuesday morning to fish and authorities were dispatched to the scene at approximately 8:25 a.m.
“The sister was waiting on him to return and realize that he had not come back,” added Butler.
Coffee County Rescue Squad recovered Buckner’s body within a few minutes. Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and EMS were also on the scene. The incident happened on United States Air Force property, therefore AEDC officials were alerted and also responded to the scene, according to Butler.
Buckner’s body has been sent to the state medical examiner for an autopsy.
