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This memorial was created in the memory of our loved one, Charles Phipps who was born in Colorado on August 30,
1983 and passed away on August 11, 2002 at the age of 18. We will remember him forever.
Tubing tragedy
Man Drowns when his foot gets stuck in river rocks
An 18-year-old Tennessee mad died Sunday while tubing on the Apple River in Somerset.
Charles Brandon Phipps, of Cedar Hill, Tenn., was riding on the same inner tube with two friends at
about 6 p.m. Sunday. As they entered the rapids just north of Hwy. 35/64 in downtown Somerset,
Phipps lost his grip on the tube and fell in the river. When Phipps attempted to stand up, his foot became
stuck in the rocks on the river bottom.
A sheriff’s department news release said that ced him face
down under the water. Sheriff Dennis Hillstead said that the river was deeper and swifter this weekend due to
rainstorms north of here.
Security personal stationed in a tower just north of the rapids saw the incident and radioed for assistance.
Float-Rite Park personnel attempted to free Phipps from the river. Sheriff’s deputies, Somerset police, and
Somerset EMTs also responded.
Phipps’ foot was dislodged from the rocks after about 13 minutes, but when he was pulled to shore he was not
breathing and had no pulse. CPR was administered immediately on shore.
Phipps was transported by New Richmond Ambulance to Holy Family Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at
7:03 p.m. The death is under investigation by the sheriff’s department.
Hillstead said the three tubers were a part of a traveling magazine sales group, and went tubing in Somerset
for their vacation day. The other two men on the inner tube were Derek T. Mills, 21 and Joseph L. Musial,
24, both of Sugar Hill, Ga.
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