A Crossville man drowned in what investigators are calling a swimming accident at Lillydale Campground in the Willow Grove Community Friday, July 26.

According to Randall Slayton, who investigated the incident for Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Roberto Eraho, 39, of Crossville, had been camping with his wife and two children in the tent camping area of Lillydale when the family decided to swim the roughly 300 yards from its campsite to the swimming area around 4 p.m.

“Him and his family, they were just swimming, and he appeared to be having some trouble, and of course, he just went down,” Slayton said.

“Medical history didn’t appear to show anything that might have caused it. I’m just speculating, but I’m guessing he just got tired and just couldn’t do it no more, so he just went down. But he might have had some medical problems also that we don’t know about,” he added.

Eraho, an Italian immigrant who Slayton said worked as a contractor at Crossville Ceramics, was reportedly underwater for roughly 10 minutes before being pulled ashore by campers who came to assist the wife, whose name was not released. Eraho was reportedly pulled from water that was “six to 10 feet deep,” according to Slayton.

First responders were reportedly able to resuscitate Eraho, who was transported by Overton County Ambulance Service to Livingston Regional Hospital. From there, he was flown by helicopter to a trauma center, though authorities did not say to which hospital he was flown.

According to David Lindsey, a camper from Indianapolis, Indiana, whose tent was located at campsite 106–directly across from Eraho’s campsite 109–Eraho and his family had set up camp late Thursday evening, July 25. Lindsey’s girlfriend of 13 years, Manie Ehrgott, said Eraho’s wife had asked them Friday afternoon if they would like to float over to the swimming area.

Ehrgott said, “Before this, she kind of waved at me and said, ‘Hey guys, we’ve got some floats, do you guys want to float down to the beach area with us?” And I was like, ‘No, we just came back from a hike.’ And I wouldn’t do that any ways. That’s why there’s a designated area to swim.”

Part of Lindsey’s analysis was that the family might not have been accustomed to camping and swimming at the lake.

“All of their stuff is brand new. This ain’t something that they always do,” he said.

Slayton said in his investigation, he found nothing that appeared suspicious. No autopsy of Eraho was performed. None of the family had life jackets on, according to investigators, something Slayton said could have made a difference in the outcome of the incident.

“Definitely wear life jackets,” Slayton said. “This is a case that this guy would still be alive if he’d had a life jacket on.”

Lindsey, who was on the scene as Eraho was pulled from the water, said this would be a vacation he, his girlfriend, and their two children would not soon forget.

“I mean, that gives me cold chills, dude,” he said.

“Nobody should have to die like that.”

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Pamela Smith-Gordon, of Murfreesboro, was chosen as the new Overton County Director of Schools Monday, July 29.

Overton County Board of Education held the called meeting for the singular purpose of nominating candidates for school director and voting on the nominations.

Chairman Ricky Dodson opened the meeting saying, “The only thing we can discuss tonight is appointing a new Director of Schools, and we’ve let them all look at the contract. They’re all fine with the salary. Then we got, all, a copy of their licenses today, so everyone is legal and ready to go.”

Lenard Ledbetter nominated Smith-Gordon, and Diann Poston seconded.

On the vote, three voted no.

“Alright, looks like Mrs. Gordon will be our new director,” Dodson said.

One board member asked if the school board would consider giving Smith-Gordon a moving expense allowance similar to what was offered to D. Scott Porter, who turned down the position after being chosen a few weeks ago.

Another member agreed, saying, “I think surely we could give her some kind of moving expense.”

That decision will apparently be put on the next board meeting agenda.

No date was set for Smith-Gordon to take the position.