Friend of drowned man charged with reckless homicide

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) - One of the friends with an Anderson man when he drowned over the holiday weekend at Lake Monroe now faces a charge of reckless homicide.

Matthew Hosier died Saturday – his 29th birthday – near the dock at Fourwinds Boat Rental in Bloomington. Investigators said an altercation with his friend, Dillon Barrett, 22, Anderson, preceded Hosier’s drowning. According to court documents, DNR investigators said Barrett admitted putting Hosier in a choke hold, and both of them went into the water. When Barrett released Hosier, he went under the water and never resurfaced.

Emergency crews pulled Hosier from the water and he was taken to IU Health Hospital in Bloomington, where he was pronounced dead.

The Monroe County coroner ruled the death a homicide .

Despite the family’s insistence that Hosier’s death was just a tragic accident , Dillon and two others were arrested Saturday . Dillon initially faced preliminary charges of battery resulting in serious bodily injury and involuntary manslaughter.

On Thursday, though, a new charge was issued against Dillon: reckless homicide.

He was released on $6,000 bond, and will return to court Friday afternoon for an initial hearing.

Rian Lemons, 33, Anderson, was arrested Saturday and preliminarily charged with disorderly conduct, a Class C misdemeanor, and resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor.

Jesse Austin, 22, Anderson, was arrested Saturday and preliminarily charged with disorderly conduct, a Class C misdemeanor, and public intoxication, a Class B misdemeanor.