Two drownings and 3 boating incidents, two on Lake Lanier, marred the start of the July 4 weekend on Georgia’s lakes, ponds and rivers.
“While patrolling Lake Lanier Friday, according to a state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) report released Saturday, “game wardens observed Hall County Fire assisting an individual at Mountain View Park. Upon arrival, they learned that a male was operating a 20-foot center console boat with female passenger when they hit a large wake causing the passenger to fall and injure her left leg.” She was taken to the Gainesville hospital for treatment.
Friday night about 10:00, wardens responded to a boating incident after the fireworks show near the Athens Boat Club on Lanier in Dawson County. “Upon arrival, they observed two individuals in the water in a large debris field. They immediately rescued them from the high vessel traffic area. Other game wardens arrived on scene and checked on the safety of the remaining passengers and began investigating the incident.”
According to statements from the vessel’s operator and the occupants, a large wake came over the bow of the pontoon and broke the starboard bow seat compartment and paneling. There were no injuries reported, and it was determined that alcohol was not involved in this incident.”
Lake Sinclair claimed the life of a 34-year-old man, David Hoyt Glass of Albany, who drowned before daybreak. No other information on the incident was immediately available.
And on the St. Mary’s River, two occupants of a personal watercraft received non-life-threatening injuries when they were thrown from it when it hit a wave.
And there were 13 BUI arrests made statewide, two of them on Lake Lanier.