GEORGIA — The July 4 weekend is still going and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said there have been several safety incidents over the holiday.
According to the DNR Law Enforcement Division, three boating incidents happened at Lake Lanier.
Eight incidents warranted DNR intervention or assistance, split between Lake Lanier, Lake Nottely, Lake Sinclair, on the Ocmulgee River, at a private pond in Worth County and on St. Mary’s River.
While no alcohol was involved in the incidents at Lake Lanier, official numbers show it had the most boating under the influence reports so far, with seven happening on the lake, when split by lake region.
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In total, DNR reported there were 31 BUIs across Georgia, as of Saturday night.
Two people drowned over the weekend at Lake Sinclair and at the private pond in Worth County, and three others reported injuries involved in boating incidents.
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For incidents at Lake Lanier, DNR said alcohol was not a factor, and in some cases, mechanical failures led to some of the incidents.
The first incident happened July 3, when Game Wardens saw Hall County Fire crews trying to help someone at Mountain View Park.
Speaking with first responders, DNR said they were told a man was operating a 20-foot boat with a woman on board when they hit a large wake, causing her to fall of the boat and injure her leg.
The second Lake Lanier incident was on the Dawson County side the night of July 3, when they found two people in the water in a large debris field near the Athens Boat Club after the evening fireworks show.
The boat operator and passengers said a large wake came over the bow of the pontoon and broke the bow seat on the starboard side.
The third Lake Lanier incident happened around 8:30 p.m. on July 4.
Game wardens responded to a boat crash at Margaritaville where a cabin cruiser hit three other boats while trying to dock at a boat slip.
The cabin cruiser’s operator told them how everything happened and DNR said it determined that the cruiser lost power while making the maneuver, hitting the other boats.
On Friday morning, DNR game wardens were told of a possible drowning at Lake Sinclair. Witnesses told wardens that a 34-year-old man had been heard calling for help from the water, but after a few minutes, it was silent.
That afternoon, game wardens used SONAR to scan for the man, with Baldwin County dive team members sadly recovering his body. He was identified as David Hoyt Glass.
At the private pond in Worth County, 51-year-old Leonard Latresse Polk of Albany’s remains were found after drowning the afternoon of July 3.
While investigating, game wardens learned Polk was unloading a tractor near the private pond when it flipped off the trailer, with him on it. A witness tried to grab Polk but could not. Wardens recovered Polk’s remains soon after.
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