John K Clark,Jeffrey C Little Obituary, Death; – A Major League Fishing tournament was abruptly halted on Wednesday following a tragic boating accident that resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to three others. The incident, which involved two vessels, took place at 7:03 a.m. on April 16 at Smith Lake in Alabama, as reported by local authorities.
The deceased have been identified by law enforcement as Joey M. Broom, 58, from Altoona, Alabama; John K. Clark, 44, from Cullman, Alabama; and Jeffrey C. Little, 62, from Brandon, Mississippi. In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, Major League Fishing acknowledged that tournament participant Flint Davis was among those involved in the collision, although his specific involvement has not been disclosed. Details regarding the injured parties have not yet been made public.
“This is an incredibly sorrowful time for our entire organization,” stated Kathy Fennel, executive vice president of MLF, in the official statement. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those impacted by this tragedy.” In conjunction with Fennel’s remarks, MLF announced the cancellation of the tournament’s third and final day scheduled for Thursday.
Further information regarding the circumstances of the crash is still being gathered, and MLF has indicated that it will refrain from releasing additional details at this time out of respect for those affected. Preliminary reports from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency indicate that the collision occurred in the Miller Flats region of Smith Lake, where a center console boat was reportedly struck by a Nitro bass boat.
In a TikTok video shared on the day of the accident, prior to the identification of the victims, Allen Johnson, president of the Alabama Bass Council, provided some unverified information about the incident. Johnson claimed that the center console vessel was being operated by a striped-bass guide with several anglers on board. He stated that the bass boat rounded a corner and collided with the center console, resulting in the bass boat running over the vessel and becoming airborne.
