Mechanical Failure Likely In Drownings

A man whose truck plunged into the lake where Susan Smith killed her sons was sober at the time, leaving mechanical failure the most likely explanation for the seven drownings, the sheriff says.

Tim Phillips had no drugs in his system and a blood-alcohol level of 0.017, the equivalent of half a beer, Sheriff Howard Wells said Wednesday. There was also no evidence of a heart attack or seizure, Wells said.

Phillips’ truck rolled down a grassy bank into John D. Long Lake on Saturday night while his family and friends were visiting the memorial to Smith’s two sons, who drowned in 1994.

Wells said he may accept GM’s offer to have an expert examine the truck, and he plans to talk further with a mechanic who recently did some transmission work on the vehicle.