Authorities in the Bahamas have freed a Michigan man who had been detained while investigators looked into his wife’s mysterious disappearance during a boating trip earlier this month.
Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles confirmed Monday that Brian Hooker, 59, was released from custody after being taken into custody on April 8. He had originally been brought in for questioning as a witness before his arrest.
Hooker’s attorney, Terrel Butler, maintains her client did nothing wrong. She said authorities moved Hooker from Abaco, where initial questioning took place, to Grand Bahama, the island chain’s second-largest population center.
The incident occurred on April 4 when Hooker and his 55-year-old wife Lynette were traveling between Hope Town, Abaco, and Elbow Cay, according to initial police reports.
The Michigan couple was aboard an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy named “Soulmate” when Lynette reportedly fell into the water while holding the vessel’s keys, police stated. Brian told authorities he paddled to shore after losing sight of his wife in the water.
Once he reached land, Brian notified someone about what had happened, and law enforcement was contacted, the report indicated.
Butler said police later brought Hooker back out on the water to help locate the Soulmate vessel, keeping him in handcuffs throughout the search “despite the choppy and dangerous sea conditions.”
During that search operation, Hooker “lost his footing and fell overboard,” sustaining a knee injury and cuts, his attorney explained.
Medical personnel treated Hooker’s injuries at a hospital on Grand Bahama, Butler confirmed.
