Deets Winslow killed in boating accident

Former longtime Sonoma Valley High School wrestling coach Roger “Deets” Winslow, 47, of Glen Ellen, died in a boating accident Saturday evening at Lake Berryessa in Napa County.

Lt. Pete Berg, with the Napa County Sheriff’s Department, said they received a call at about 6:20 p.m. Saturday that Winslow, who was piloting an “Eliminator-type boat” with two passengers in a portion of the lake known as “The Narrows,” was thrown from the boat because of either mechanical error or operator error.

“There was a significant amount of blood consistent with being hit by a propeller,” Berg said. “He didn’t resurface.”

Because of the hour, the Napa Valley dive team didn’t attempt to recover the body until Sunday.

The accident occurred in one of the deepest sections of the lake – 80-to-170 feet deep. Berg said the department used an ROV, a Remote Operation Vehicle and searched until 2 p.m. Monday before they called off the search.

Berg said the department is seeking mutual aid from Santa Clara County that has remote equipment that can dive deeper.