BBBTV12 Serving Anderson, Roane, and Morgan Counties
Rockwood, TN – A tragic boating incident claimed the life of 19-year-old Braeden Hartup on Saturday evening in the Winton Chapel area. According to a report from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), Hartup jumped from a pontoon boat while it was anchored and never resurfaced.
Emergency responders, including the Roane County Rescue Squad and West Roane County Fire first responders, were called to the scene around 9:15 PM near the 500 block of Winton Chapel Road. After a thorough four-hour search, Hartup’s body was recovered from the water.
The body was transported to the Knoxville Forensic Center for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. The TWRA has noted that this marks the eighth boating-related fatality in Tennessee this year.
Braeden Hartup was the son of Roane County Property Assessor Molly Hartup. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is still ongoing.
