KNOXVILLE — A 23-year-old Knoxville woman told police late Monday night she “just wanted to swim” after making her way across Fort Loudoun Lake wearing only a bra and panties.
Evelyn Grace Radford’s near-midnight jump into the water at Volunteer Landing, however, prompted calls of a drowning to authorities who launched boats to rescue the scantily clad woman.
Her actions also prompted charges of disorderly conduct and public intoxication, records show.
Authorities were alerted at 11:54 p.m. that an intoxicated woman had stripped down to her basic clothing and jumped into the water and was swimming to the south shore, according to Knoxville Police Department Sgt. Scott Coffey.
“She left her clothing with her boyfriend at Volunteer Landing and he abruptly left the area,” Coffey said. “The witnesses indicated they believed the couple were in an argument prior to her jumping in the water.”
The Knoxville Fire Department and the Knoxville Volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad launched boats to pluck Radford from the water, Coffey said.
“Officer found a male on the south end of he Gay Street Bridge who initially acted like he had no idea why emergency responders were in the area,” Coffey said.
Then emergency personnel saw Radford as she swam to the south shore at Holston Gases.
Radford told officers “she was not hurt and just wanted to swim,” records state.
Officers said she had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath, records state. Radford told police she had two glasses of wine before her journey across the river.
