By Jim Hannah
Enquirer staff writer

Bill Howard, of Crittenden, wears a life jacket as he pilots his fishing boat on Williamstown Lake, where three people have drowned in three weeks. Howard's life jacket is designed to keep the wearer's head above water even if the person is unconscious, he said. Charles Ray Abdon, 50, of Demossville, drowned Wednesday when his fishing boat was hit by a speedboat about 9 p.m. The Enquirer/PATRICK REDDY

WILLIAMSTOWN - Rescue workers say there is a common thread in the three drownings at the city reservoir in less than three weeks: None of the victims was wearing a life jacket.

All three drownings might otherwise have been prevented, according to rescue officials.

One boater agreed. "I would say carelessness has contributed to the drownings," said Bill Howard, 54, of Crittenden, "but I don't know to what degree. These people certainly should have been wearing life jackets."

Howard, wearing a life jacket, was fishing on the lake Thursday morning as officials gathered nearby to conduct their investigation into the death of the latest victim, Charles Ray Abdon, 50, of Demossville. He drowned shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday after a boat collision on Williamstown Lake, a 305-acre reservoir 50 minutes south of Cincinnati. Police said a speedboat hit Abdon's fishing boat head on and collided with a nearby pontoon boat.

Howard said the lake becomes crowded on the weekends with pleasure boaters and people on personal watercraft.

On June 25, Everett Stroub, 85, of Cynthiana drowned when the boat in which he was fishing sank. He was one of three men in the boat when it developed engine problems and began taking on water about 2:30 a.m.

On June 21, Kenneth Straub, 25, of Williamstown drowned while swimming in the lake. He was hiking with a friend near the lake when the two decided to swim to an area with fewer weeds, said Dale Appel, Boone County Water Rescue captain. When Straub started having trouble swimming, the two began heading back to shore. His friend reached the shore and called for help from a nearby home.

While Wednesday's fatal wreck is still under investigation, police said the speedboat was traveling against traffic patterns on the lake. Although a police report said alcohol might have contributed to the fatal wreck, no charges had been filed. The report did not say whom police suspected of drinking.

The victim, Abdon, had been participating in a fishing tournament held each Wednesday night on the lake, police said. His boat was hit head-on by a boat driven by Todd Volker of Morning View, according to a police report. Volker had three other people in his boat. Volker's boat also hit a pontoon boat, but there were no other injuries.

E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com