BENTON — A former Mt. Vernon school teacher was killed in a jet-ski accident at Lake Benton Sunday afternoon. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is investigating, along with the Franklin County Coroner’s office, the death of 73-year-old Gary D. Graham of Benton.

Initial reports from the IDNR state that two men were riding together on a borrowed jet-ski at Lake Benton, when the driver made a quick u-turn causing both men to be ejected into the water. The driver of the jet-ski says he swam after the still running vehicle and his passenger tried to swim towards the boat dock but went under and never surfaced.

Neither the driver nor the passenger was wearing a life vest.