Lufkin man dies in boat accident

LUFKIN — A Lufkin man — killed in a boating accident Saturday afternoon on the Neches River in Cherokee County — apparently hit an underwater log jam, authorities said.

Bobby Ray Malnar Jr., 43, who worked as a prison guard at Duncan Unit in Diboll, died after he was thrown from his boat after crashing into a log jam in the river, according to Capt. Gary Dugan, game warden at Texas Parks and Wildlife.

It was not immediately clear if Malnar died from impact or inhalation of water. Dugan said Malnar, whose body was recovered early Sunday morning, had head injuries consistent with striking an engine propeller.

His brother, who was following Malnar from behind, told authorities he saw the boat go airborne at a hard right angle into the river bank, Dugan said.

Dugan said he did not know how fast Malnar had been traveling on the river, but estimated it was going about 15 mph.

The high water and currents of the Neches River cause it to be an unpredictable body of water, which can be very dangerous, Dugan said.

"When you're on the water you have to constantly look for underwater structures," he said. "Watch currents, and be extremely cautious when operating a boat in the river because of structure and sand bars."