Man Dies in Palatka With a 4-inch Fish Stuck In His Mouth
PALATKA -- A man died with a 4-inch fish in his mouth in what police said may have been an attempt to imitate a television stunt.
Henry Thomas Buckner, 27, of Middleburg, was fishing with his stepfather, Paul Beasley, 47, and two friends on the Ocklawaha River on Sunday when they noticed Buckner bleeding from the mouth, a Putnam County sheriff's report said.
Beasley said a fish was sticking out of Buckner's mouth, according to the report.
``No one saw him put the fish in his mouth,'' said Capt. Keith Riddick of the Putnam sheriff's office. ``They heard gurgling, turned toward him and saw him bleeding from the mouth and the fish sticking out.''
Riddick said the fish was a 4-inich bream.
Beasley and the others were unable to pull the fish out of Buckner's mouth, so they drove the boat to shore and started driving him to Putnam Community Medical Center, the report showed.
Beasley called 911, then pulled into a convenience store. Buckner was transported to a hospital, where he died.
``There are unconfirmed reports that he (Buckner) was trying to imitate something he had seen on a TV show in the latter part of last week,'' Riddick said.
An autopsy was performed Monday, the results of which are pending further tests, Riddick said.
Palatka is about 80 miles north of Orlando.
PALATKA -- A man died with a 4-inch fish in his mouth in what police said may have been an attempt to imitate a television stunt.
Henry Thomas Buckner, 27, of Middleburg, was fishing with his stepfather, Paul Beasley, 47, and two friends on the Ocklawaha River on Sunday when they noticed Buckner bleeding from the mouth, a Putnam County sheriff's report said.
Beasley said a fish was sticking out of Buckner's mouth, according to the report.
``No one saw him put the fish in his mouth,'' said Capt. Keith Riddick of the Putnam sheriff's office. ``They heard gurgling, turned toward him and saw him bleeding from the mouth and the fish sticking out.''
Riddick said the fish was a 4-inich bream.
Beasley and the others were unable to pull the fish out of Buckner's mouth, so they drove the boat to shore and started driving him to Putnam Community Medical Center, the report showed.
Beasley called 911, then pulled into a convenience store. Buckner was transported to a hospital, where he died.
``There are unconfirmed reports that he (Buckner) was trying to imitate something he had seen on a TV show in the latter part of last week,'' Riddick said.
An autopsy was performed Monday, the results of which are pending further tests, Riddick said.
Palatka is about 80 miles north of Orlando.
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