Northampton County Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Byers said the father swam to shore and the son, who was wearing a life jacket, floated down the river until he reached shore and used a cell phone to call for help.
Emergency officials received the call around 7:30 p.m. They learned the trolling motor of the 14 feet john boat became entangled in branches and they couldn’t get it loose.
Currents beating the boat eventually turned it over. The father, who is knowledgeable of the river, swam to shore in Gaston where they put in. The son floated to somewhere between Gaston and Interstate 95, Byers said. The boy was with state Highway Patrol troopers on the Weldon bridge after getting out of the water.
Roanoke Valley Rescue Squad and the Gaston Volunteer Fire Department put boats into the water and firefighters and law enforcement had personnel at the Gaston and Weldon boat landings.
They declined medical treatment.
There is to be no profanity and there is to be no character assassination even if the person being written about is a suspect in a crime.
Comments that presume knowledge of a person’s home life, financial situation or other personal details will be not be posted as will comments which presume legal knowledge.
All comments must be on the topic of the story and offer the reader’s insight on a particular issue. rrspin.com will cease posting comments if the editor determines readers are infighting with one another and not staying on the topic of a story.
rrspin.com prefers readers use their real names because anonymous posters are accountable for their comments just as readers who post their names are.