Gaffney man sentenced to 40 years in prison for drowning man on Broad River floating trip
A Gaffney man was sentenced to 40 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to drowning a friend in the Broad River in 2019.
Judge Keith Kelly handed down the sentence to Christopher Chad Duncan. According to a press release from the 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office, Duncan, now 38, met Justin William Cash, 35, at 1 a.m. on June 14, 2019, to float down the Broad River. Cash's body was recovered that day and his cause of death was determined as drowning.
Duncan did not contact 911 until twelve-and-a-half hours after he and Cash arrived at the river. He could not account for his actions during that period, according to the solicitor's office. Deputies responded to the scene at 1:30 p.m. that day, according to previous reporting from the Herald-Journal.
Duncan was arrested and charged on Aug. 14, 2019, two months after the incident.
Inconsistencies in Duncan's statements about attempts to save his "friend" led to his prosecution and conviction, the release from the solicitor's office says.
Duncan first told investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office that Cash was under the influence while in the water and fell off his float. Duncan claimed he could not reach Cash to assist him.
It was allegedly Cash’s first time floating down the river. The section of river they planned to float down took from 90 minutes to three hours, according to the solicitor's office.
After Duncan was informed of the evidence of extensive bruising on Cash’s limbs as well as his broken hyoid bone, Duncan "drastically changed" his statement, the solicitor's office said. Duncan claimed that once Cash fell off his float, he grabbed him and pulled him in a headlock to try and assist him.
Evidence showed that Duncan did not seek help for Cash and that he lied about going to a nearby house for help, the solicitor's release said.
"Testimony was presented that Duncan misled first responders regarding where he exited the river and where they should begin searching for Cash," the release read.
Duncan could not explain the twelve-and-a-half hours that passed before he called 911.
Dr. Kelly Rose, a forensic pathologist, provided testimony on heavy bruising and scratches found on Cash’s arms and lower legs, according to the solicitor's release. Rose found no rapids present that would explain the injuries after she went to the Broad River to examine it first-hand.
Rose also noted that Cash’s hyoid bone, a horseshoe-shaped bone at the front of the neck below the jaw, was fractured, the release states. She testified that fracturing the hyoid bone required approximately 40 pounds of pressure to be applied to the area.
She added that she had never seen the hyoid bone broken in any situation other than strangulation.
Chalmers Rogland covers public safety for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal and USA Today Network. Reach him via email at crogland@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Gaffney man sentenced to 40 years for drowning man on river floating trip
