Georgia Boater Who ‘Mowed Over’ Pontoon Boat While Drunk Convicted in Death of 22-Year-Old Man
MACON, GEORGIA — A Georgia man who admitted he was drunk after plowing his speedboat into a pontoon boat full of friends — killing a 22-year-old and injuring several others — has been convicted of homicide by vessel and multiple related charges, officials said.
The Bibb County jury found 61-year-old Eric Head guilty of first-degree homicide by vessel, serious injury by vessel, reckless conduct, and operating under the influence in the 2021 death of William Michael Childs, according to prosecutors.
Head, who was 57 at the time of the crash, reportedly told friends and police he was drunk shortly after the collision, saying:
“I’m drunk, I’m drunk. I’m going to prison. Out of all the stupid s— I’ve done, this is what gets me. Please God, don’t let anybody be dead over there.”
Deadly Late-Night Collision
The crash happened around 2 a.m. on July 24, 2021, at Lake Tobesofkee in Macon.
Authorities say Head spent the night drinking heavily with a friend at the popular Fish ‘n Pig restaurant and bar before taking his racing-style boat back out on the water.
Meanwhile, Childs — an assistant manager at the same bar — had gone out on a pontoon boat with six friends to relax after work.
While speeding under a bridge, Head reportedly became enraged after spotting a man fishing from it. Police said fishing there was prohibited, but instead of moving along, Head began shouting racial slurs from the water. Moments later, his boat slammed into the pontoon, which was sitting still on the lake.
Witnesses said Head “mowed over” the vessel, sending his own boat airborne before it crashed hundreds of yards away and began to sink.
One Dead, Several Injured
Childs was struck in the head and killed instantly, authorities said. A woman in her 20s suffered severe injuries, and five others on board sustained minor wounds.
Head and his passenger were unhurt. Instead of helping the victims, Head reportedly called friends and left voicemails admitting he was drunk, saying he was “going to prison.”
Prosecutors: ‘He Drank Too Much and Drove Too Fast’
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Head’s reckless decision to drive drunk at high speed caused the fatal crash.
“He drank too much and drove too fast,” one prosecutor told jurors.
Defense attorney Robert Cabe claimed Head wasn’t legally intoxicated and suggested Childs had also consumed alcohol and marijuana. But jurors rejected the defense, convicting Head on all counts after an eight-day trial.
He faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced Thursday.
Victim Remembered as Kind and Ambitious
According to his obituary, William “Will” Childs was known for his kindness, adventurous spirit, and dedication to his work at Fish ‘n Pig, where he dreamed of one day owning the restaurant.
“Will was such an incredible, kind, adventurous, loving, caring, and selfless young man,” his family wrote.
Childs was also a passionate motocross racer who earned multiple trophies and plaques in local competitions.
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