Mt. Juliet man drowns while trying to save dog in Giles County

By: Laken Bowle

Newschannel 5, Nashville,TN

Apr 25, 2020 and last updated 1:21 PM, Apr 25, 2020

MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officials say a Mt. Juliet man drowned in Giles County while trying to save a dog from swift-moving water. TWRA said they were called to a low head dam on Richland Creek early Friday evening.

According to officials, two paddlers came up on a low head dam on the river. A woman was able to get to shore and portage around the dam but the man went over the dam and was kicked out by the water flow.

He made it to shore and put on a life jacket to try and save a dog he had been traveling with. As he was trying to rescue the dog, he was pulled into the water below the dam and drowned.

TWRA officers deployed boats and were able to make a recovery. He was not identified.

By Mike Organ, Nashville Tennesean, April 25, 2020

Matthew Brannon, 32, from Mt. Juliet drowned below a low head dam on Richland Creek early Friday evening in Giles County, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

TWRA officers were called to an area on Richland Creek in Giles County on Friday, where Brannon and a female paddler had encountered a low head dam. The female paddler was able to get to shore and portage around the dam. Brannon, who went over the dam, was thrown out by the water flow below the dam.

Brannon made it to shore and put on a life jacket to try and save a dog he had been traveling with. In his effort to rescue the dog, Brannon was pulled into the turbulent water below the dam and drowned. TWRA officers deployed boats and were able to recover his body.