Patriots DE Marquise Hill's body found - RIP.

[coronadozx]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6859036

Coast Guard: Patriots' DE Hill's body found

Associated Press
Posted: 34 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A body believed to be New England Patriots player Marquise Hill was found by searchers Monday, a day after he was reported missing following a jetski accident on Lake Pontchartrain.

"The family will have to make positive identification," Capt. Brian Clark of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department said. "But the body we found was that of Mr. Marquise Hill."

The body was discovered about a quarter-mile from where Hill and a female companion were involved in the accident, Clark said.

The Coast Guard were called Sunday night, Petty Officer Tom Atkeson said. The search began immediately, using boats and helicopters.

Hill's agent, Albert Elias, said he had been told Hill and a young woman were jetskiing Sunday in the lake when both of them went into the water, which had a strong current. Elias said the woman was able to make it to a pylon and hang on until she was rescued, while Hill was last seen floating away from the scene.

Hill played on LSU's national championship team and was a second-round draft pick by New England in 2004.

"We are all shocked," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement.

The woman, whose identity was not available Monday morning, was rescued and sent to Tulane Medical Center where she told them Hill had tried to keep her calm as the two were drifting away from each other.

Neither Hill nor the woman wore a life preserver, Atkeson said.

"It's so important to have a life jacket and a signaling device," Atkeson said. "One keeps you afloat and the other helps us find you."

Elias said Hill, a defensive end, spent much of his time since Hurricane Katrina helping family members rebuild their homes.

[Jake]

This is horrible. R.I.P.

[LiViN's Easy]

I saw this too, RIP.

You have to wear your life vest! Its disappointing to see someone lose their life over something so preventable.

[mikem317]

Originally Posted by LiViN's Easy

I saw this too, RIP.

You have to wear your life vest! Its disappointing to see someone lose their life over something so preventable.

+1

Although I'll speculate and mention that alcohol was probably involved. People lose some of their inhibitions even after one drink. I heard on the radio that the woman that was rescued didn't even know how to swim. They had to have been drinking.

[Wakey]

I know it's early but this isnt making much sense to me. Lake Pontchartrain has no current and why didnt they hang onto the Jetski? Did it sink?

Much of the lake you can stand in and why on earth would anyone not wear a vest while riding a personal watercraft?

I've swam in that lake AND the Mississippi river but I would never ride one of those without a vest.

Man this sucks

[kevin_stevens]

My thought as well - how the hell do you drown in Lake Pontchartrain? It's like one step away from drowning in your bathtub. I'd think you'd die of sunburn before drowning. Very odd.

KeS

[LiViN's Easy]

^ News article said there was a current and the women held onto a pillar or something. I forgot but gota hold of something stationary.

[mikem317]

A buoy?

[coronadozx]

i kind of agree, it's hard to go to the lake for a nice getaway without alcohol, so i would imagine alcohol was involved, but i'd like to see what the autopsy shows.


i've never been to this lake, nor even heard of it for that matter, but a pylon? they don't have buoys there????? wtf?

[Rascus]

When i think pylon i think of a pier

[Gimpdiggity]

Although I hate the Patriots, I hate to see a young man die even more.

RIP.

[CBRAWR]

that's strange...they usually won't release a persons name until the family identifies the body

[Wakey]

Hill's death ruled accidental drowning

Associated Press


NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The death of New England Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill, who fell off a jet ski Sunday in Lake Pontchartrain, was ruled an accidental drowning Tuesday.

An autopsy found no signs of drug or alcohol in Hill's body, although more tests are planned and will take two weeks to complete, said Orleans Parish coroner Dr. Frank Minyard.

Minyard said Hill might have suffered a mild concussion when he fell off the water craft.


Rescue workers found New England Patriots player Marquise Hill on Monday. He was reported missing following a jet-ski accident on Sunday in Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans. (Judi Bottoni / Associated Press)


"He might of hit the right side of his face above the eye when he fell off the craft," Minyard said. "He had a pretty nasty bruise there."

There was a slight amount of blood in the brain, which could indicate a concussion, Minyard said.

"That could have caused him some confusion," Minyard said. "Although we were told he talked to the woman who was with him after the accident, he could have become disoriented."

Hill played on LSU's national championship team and was a second-round draft pick by New England in 2004. He had yet to start for the Patriots, playing in 13 games in his NFL career.

Hill and a female friend had ventured onto the lake Sunday night near the south shore. Investigators said neither was wearing a life vest. Authorities said they ended up in an area of swirling currents near where a shipping canal runs into the lake.

"The water goes through there very fast and it's very deep — 70, 80, 90 feet deep," said Minyard, who fishes in the area.

While the woman survived by clinging to a pylon until she was rescued, the 24-year-old Hill, who friends described as a good swimmer, drifted away and disappeared. Searchers pulled his body from the water on Monday afternoon.

"There were currents and very choppy waves," said Capt. Brian Clark of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department, who took part in the search. "That might have caused the accident, you have to know what you're doing in those conditions or you'll have trouble."

Hill was described by friends as a strong swimmer who included laps in his training routine. But the water conditions may have nullified his skill, Clark said.

State regulations require anyone riding the popular speedy water craft to wear a life jacket and be off the water a half hour before sunset, said Coast Guard officer Aldo Portillo.

Hill and his companion set out about 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Sunset was at 7:53 p.m., the Coast Guard said.

Hill's agent, Albert Elias, said the player spent much of his time since Hurricane Katrina helping rebuild the homes of family members including his mother, Sherry, and the mother of his 2-year-old son.

"From what I hear, he's done a lot to help with things after Katrina, and I know he had a great passion for the city of New Orleans," said former LSU quarterback Matt Mauck, who was Hill's teammate at LSU. "Off field he was a really kind person, kind of like a gentle giant. And not only for LSU, but for New England and everyone who got a chance to meet him throughout his life, everyone has to be extremely saddened and disappointed to hear the news."

After heading to the NFL, Hill continued to do much of his offseason training at LSU's Baton Rouge campus, about 80 miles up the Mississippi River from New Orleans. He was known and admired by current Tigers players, university athletics spokesman Michael Bonnette said.

"His presence meant a lot for some of the younger guys. He gave them someone to look up to and he was always there for them," Bonnette said. "Here's a 6-foot-6, 300-pound guy, as intimidating as can be, and yet every time you approached him he always welcomed you with a big old smile.

"In between the lines, he had his game-face on, but outside the lines, in the community or in the weight room, he was always smiling and having a good time."

[coronadozx]

^^ i heard this report on espn radio this a.m.

i didn't realize at first he went out on the lake at night and without a vest (both illegal).

bad decisions.