Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents are investigating a fatal boating incident in Concordia Parish that occurred on June 23.

LDWF agents recovered the body of Michael L. Rinehart, 68, of Natchez, Miss., from Lake St. John around 1:30 a.m. on June 23.

Agents received a call around 12:25 a.m. on June 23 about a boater that possibly drowned in Lake St. John. Agents responded to the scene immediately and found Rinehart’s body in the water close to his vessel.

According to Rinehart’s wife, Rinehart and his wife were coming back from a boat trip in his 24-foot pontoon boat and they were attempting to put the vessel in a boat slip at the dock near their residence when Rinehart and his wife both entered the water.

The wife was able to get out of the water and make it to her phone to call 911 for her missing husband. The wife sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the Trinity Medical Center for treatment.

The LDWF Enforcement Division will be the leading investigative agency for this boating incident. Rinehart’s body was turned over to the Concordia Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death. It is unknown at this time what caused the couple to enter the water. Rinehart’s body was recovered without wearing a personal flotation device.