Hill City Resident Drowns in Potter County; Suspect Charged with Boating While Intoxicated

-Jody Heemstra, DRG News

A man from Hill City has died and a man from Hughes County is charged with

Boating While Intoxicated after a Friday afternoon (Nov. 14, 2025, 4:04pm) incident in

Potter County.

Information from the Potter County Sheriff’s Office says 911 call came in saying

there were two men in the water in the vicinity of the Dodge Draw Recreation

Area northwest of Gettysburg.

After arriving on scene (approximately 4:32pm), rescuers retrieved the body of Toby

Keller from Hill City from the water, administered CPR and transported him to

Dodge Draw Dock where he was pronounced deceased. It does not appear as

though he was wearing a life jacket.

Gettysburg Fire Rescue team members boarded a pontoon boat and were taken

out to the location of the incident, where they discovered a trash bag with

empty beer cans and a bottle of whiskey but saw no indication of a capsized or

sunken boat. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Conservation Officers then

conducted an underwater scan of the area looking for a second body. No other

body was located and there was no indication that a second drowning had

occurred.

William (Bill) Bradford of rural Hughes County was identified as the operator of

the boat that Keller fell overboard from and Bradford was arrested for Boating

While Intoxicated.

The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is conducting the continued

investigation into Keller’s death. An autopsy is being conducted, but there’s no

indication of foul play.

Officers from the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, Gettysburg Fire and Rescue,

Gettysburg Ambulance, Hoven Ambulance, SD Game Fish & Parks, SD Highway

Patrol and DCI responded to a call.