A Dublin man died on Lake Sinclair doing what he loved most.
Jeremy Bernard Williams, 45, went fishing on Lake Sinclair around 9 a.m. Sunday but never returned home as expected that evening.
His body was found floating in the water on the Hancock County side of the lake Monday evening after an extensive search, according to authorities.
The search began Monday morning when Williams’ wife and other family members reported him missing to Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. His wife and the family members had already gone to where Williams was known to launch his Caymas bass boat. They found his pickup truck and boat trailer near “Big Ed’s” Lakeside Bait & Tackle and Chevron gas station on Milledgeville Road.
According to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills, deputies from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and game wardens from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources immediately began searching the lake.
He said they pinged Williams’ cell phone and concentrated the search around the area in Hancock County where it was registering. Williams’ friends also joined the search, going to the spots they knew Williams fished for crappie.
Rescue workers of Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and Baldwin County Fire Rescue joined the effort later in the day, as did other boaters and anglers who frequent Lake Sinclair.
Sills said Williams’ boat was found on Lake Sinclair around 5 p.m. Monday with the lifejackets and cell phone still in the boat.
A woman who lives on Susan Harper Road, a short distance away from where the boat was found, called the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office around 5:30 p.m. when she saw a man’s body floating face down in the water near her dock. Hancock County Deputy Coroner Dontrelle Andrews said Williams’ body was floating in about 4½ feet of water and noted the water temperature was 87 degrees.
“At this time, the cause of death is listed as undetermined,” Andrews said.
When asked if there were signs that Williams may have fallen or been tossed out of his boat due to stormy weather, Andrews said he could not comment on anything until a Georgia medical examiner conducted an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
“I did notice that he had some fishing line wrapped around his legs, but I don’t know if that had anything to do with his death,” Andrews added.
Andrews said Williams’ wife, Donna, told him Williams was a great swimmer, loved fishing, and was an Army veteran who retired about two years ago.
“She said he was starting a YouTube video for veterans about fishing,” he added.