MACON, GA – A boating accident that shattered a summer night on Lake Tobesofkee has led to a prison sentence for a Georgia man convicted in the death of a 22-year-old bar manager. The late-night tragedy has underscored the dangers of alcohol use while operating watercraft and left a close-knit community mourning one of their own.
A Bibb County jury on Tuesday found Eric Head, now 61, guilty of first-degree homicide by vessel, operation of a watercraft under the influence, reckless conduct, and serious injury by vessel. The charges stem from a July 24, 2021, crash that killed William Michael Childs and injured several others. Prosecutors argued that Head’s decision to operate his high-speed boat after hours of drinking was a direct cause of the fatal collision.
The ordeal began in the early hours at Lake Tobesofkee, a popular Macon getaway. Witnesses recalled Head and a friend spent the day drinking on his racing-style boat, stopping at a local bar, Fish’ n Pig, for additional drinks before heading out again after midnight. Childs, an assistant manager at the bar, was also on the water that night with friends on a pontoon boat.
According to the case presented in court, as Head piloted his boat under a bridge, he became agitated when he saw a man fishing illegally from the structure and hurled racial slurs from the boat. Head then sped off, circling near the bridge at high speed.
Moments later, Head’s vessel collided with the stationary pontoon boat where Childs and six friends were gathered. The force of the impact was so great that Head’s boat vaulted into the air, traveling several hundred yards before crashing into the water and sinking. Head and his passenger emerged from the wreck without serious injuries.
In the aftermath, Head reportedly called friends seeking help, leaving messages acknowledging he was intoxicated and expressing fear for the victims’ lives. Childs was fatally injured by a blow to the head, while a woman in her 20s sustained serious injuries. The remaining five pontoon passengers suffered less severe wounds.
Head was indicted by a grand jury in April 2022. During his trial, prosecutors said his reckless operation and alcohol consumption led directly to the crash. Head’s defense attorney countered that his client was not impaired and tried to shift part of the blame to Childs, saying the pontoon boat was improperly stopped in a “no wake” zone and that Childs himself had consumed alcohol and marijuana.
Jurors ultimately rejected those arguments, issuing a unanimous verdict after eight days of testimony and deliberation. Head now faces up to 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for Thursday.
Childs, remembered by family and colleagues as an ambitious and caring young man, had worked his way up to assistant manager at Fish ‘n Pig and dreamed of one day becoming the restaurant’s owner. His funeral notice described him as passionate about motocross and generous with friends.
The fatal crash has become a tragic reminder for the Macon community of the perils of impaired boating, as well as the devastating loss suffered when someone’s reckless actions upend the lives of others.