Late one July evening in 2021, the serene waters of Lake Tobesofkee in Macon, Georgia, became the scene of a tragic accident. Eric Head, a boater who had spent several hours drinking, crashed his vessel into a pontoon boat carrying seven passengers. The consequences were grave, as the collision resulted in the death of a 22-year-old man named William Michael Childs and left others injured.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Head, then 57, reportedly expressed his distress immediately after the crash. “I’m drunk, I’m drunk. I’m going to prison,” he lamented. He feared the worst, praying, “Please God, don’t let anybody be dead over there.” Unfortunately, his fears were confirmed, as the accident claimed a life and his path to prison was set.

This week, Head, now 61, faced a jury that found him guilty on multiple charges, including first-degree homicide by vessel, serious injury by vessel, reckless conduct, and operating a watercraft under the influence of alcohol. His actions on that fateful night have led to a legal reckoning, marking the beginning of a sentence that matches the gravity of his actions.

The incident unfolded around 2 a.m. on July 24, as detailed in reports from local media outlet WGXA. Head and a companion had been aboard his racing-style boat, indulging in drinks both onboard and at Fish ‘n Pig, a nearby bar. The night’s festivities ended in tragedy, forever altering the lives of those involved.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. July 24, 2021, on Lake Tobesofkee in Macon. According to a criminal complaint obtained by local Fox and ABC affiliate WGXA, Head and his buddy were on his racing-style boat drinking. They went to Fish ‘n Pig, a local bar, and had some drinks.

Meanwhile, Childs, an assistant manager at the bar, and his friends hopped on a pontoon boat and went out onto the lake.

After the bar, Head got back into his boat and was driving under a bridge when he noticed a Black man fishing from it. Head reportedly became upset because fishing is not allowed on the bridge and started spewing racial epithets at the man while still behind the wheel of the boat.

Head was speeding around the bridge when he “mowed over” Childs’ stationary pontoon boat with six other passengers aboard. Head’s boat became airborne and landed several hundred yards down the lake before it sank, WGXA reported. Head and his passenger were uninjured and he called several friends for help, reportedly leaving voicemails admitting he was drunk.

In the pontoon boat, Childs suffered a blow to the head while a woman in her 20s suffered serious injuries. Five other passengers had minor injuries, per the TV station.

A grand jury indicted Head in April 2022 and a jury convicted him after an eight-day trial.

According to a courtroom report from local CBS affiliate WMAZ, prosecutors told jurors that Head “drank too much and drove too fast.” But Head’s attorney Robert Cabe reportedly said his client was not intoxicated at the time of the crash. Cabe also pointed out that Childs had also been drinking and smoked marijuana. He also stopped the boat in a “no wake” zone and had not taken a boater safety case, per WMAZ.

But jurors sided with the prosecution and found Head guilty on all counts. He faces 15 years behind bars when he’s sentenced on Thursday.

Childs’ obituary said he found his passion when he started working at the Fish ‘n Pig, working his way up to assistant manager with the goal of owning the restaurant one day.

“Will was such an incredible, kind, adventurous, loving, caring and selfless young man,” the obituary reads. “Will had a great passion for motocross racing and was proud of the many trophies and plaques he won on the tracks.”