View of Smith Mountain Lake.
An Axton man has died after falling into the Smith Mountain Lake on Friday.
Richard Donald Haynes III, 35, was launching a boat in the water with another man and fell overboard, a Virginia Department of Wildlife release stated.
The other person, who was not identified, was parking a vehicle and boat trailer when the incident occurred at the Penhook #9 Boat Ramp.
A woman who saw what happened jumped in the water and attempted to assist Haynes, the release stated.
Rescue crews from Cool Branch, Franklin County and Smith Mountain Lake responded to the call of a possible drowning at 11:07 a.m. at the 1300 block of Jefferson Dock Road in Penhook and Haynes was declared dead at the Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital a short time later.
The cause of death has not been released.
Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 236. Follow him @billdwyatt.
