A Utica, Ky. man is dead and his wife injured, after a Fourth of July weekend boating accident on a rocky shoreline of Rough River Lake.

According to Officer Richard Mehlbauer with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), the accident occurred Saturday afternoon (July 1) about a mile east of the North Fork ramp.

Mehlbauer reported that Mark and Cathy Roberts were traveling down the lake in their boat, “when according to Cathy, the only witness to the accident, she noticed they were headed towards the bank.”

Mehlbauer said that Cathy, who was sitting towards the rear of the boat, turned around to see what was going on and noticed that her husband was slumped over.

“She didn't have time to do anything,” Mehlbauer said, “so she just braced herself before they slammed into the bank.” According to Mehlbauer, both Mark and Cathy were transported to Breckinridge Memorial Hospital in Hardinsburg, where Mark was pronounced dead. Cathy reportedly suffered abdominal injuries as a result of the accident.

Mehlbauer said Monday morning that a heart attack may be to blame for Mark's death, but that won't be known until an autopsy is done.