Davis County father dies after boat overturns at Echo Reservoir

CLINTON — A Davis County family is mourning the loss of a husband and father who died after a boat carrying four family members overturned and sank at Echo Reservoir.

On Sunday, Aug. 30, Jeff Stone, 46, was boating with his 15-year-old son, Robert Rex "Robbie" Stone, his father and his sister when the boat began taking on water, according to his family.

The Summit County Sheriff's Office said it received a 911 call at approximately 11:30 a.m. Sunday from someone recreating at the reservoir who reported finding an overturned fishing boat sinking with four people in the water.

The caller and members of their group pulled all four people from the water and brought them to shore, according to the sheriff's office. Jeff Stone was pronounced dead at the reservoir.

The three surviving family members were taken to an area hospital for treatment. All have since been released from the hospital.

Robbie Stone said he watched his father die.

He remembered the two sharing some of their favorite activities, including watching the Utah Jazz, fishing and going to Monster Jam events.

"He was like an angel to everybody, especially to me," Robbie Stone said.

He said the boat began filling with water before it overturned. "The water started gushing in as soon as it got to the back, and me and him were hanging on," he said.

He said everyone on the boat had a life jacket, but his father was unable to reach his.

"I remember saying, 'Dad, please wake up,'" he said.

Jeff's wife, Megan Stone, said the family still does not know exactly what caused the boat to overturn.

"No one has an answer for why the boat is in the bottom of Echo," she said.

Megan Stone said that in his final moments, Jeff Stone was focused on getting his family members to safety.

"All we know is in Jeff's final moments, he made sure his dad and his sister got safely off the boat," she said. "My husband just wanted to save everybody else."

Megan Stone said Jeff Stone suffered a head injury and noted that the boat had a new engine. She believes the motor may have been too heavy for the boat, but the cause of the accident has not been determined.

In a Monday press release, the Summit County Sheriff's Office said the investigation into the circumstances that led to the boat overturning remains in its early stages. KSL reached out for an update on the investigation and did not receive an immediate response.

For Megan Stone, Jeff Stone's death leaves a void in a family they had built together over 22 years of marriage.

She described her husband as the heart of their family and a hard worker who drove trucks for Geneva Rock.

Robbie said his father's legacy was defined by the way he treated other people.

"Everywhere he went, he helped everyone he could," he said. "He left probably one of the best legacies."

Jeff Stone would have turned 47 on Tuesday.

His family has established a GoFundMe* to help with expenses following his death.

*KSL does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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