"     On 6/2/12, at approximately 17:30 hours, I, Corporal received a phone call from RFC in regards to a boating incident on Lake Juliette. RFC said that a sailboat had capsized and that an occupant of the boat had been taken to the hospital. RFC explained to me that Victim had been on the sailboat with her husband when the incident occurred. RFC went on to say that EMS personnel were administering CPR on Victim when the ambulance left the boat ramp and that he would advise me later on her condition. A short time later I received another call from RFC advising me that Victim was pronounced dead at the hospital.  RFC told me the details of the incident and I decided that I would wait until the next day to meet with him and begin the investigation. RFC also told me that he would be in possession of the sailboat when we met.
     On 6/3/12, I met with RFC at the Upson County Sheriff's Office. RFC had the 11 foot sailboat with him in the bed of his truck. RFC explained to me again what Operator  said happened. According to Operator, he and Victim arrived at the lake around 14:30 hours and were on the water by 15:00 hours. They sailed a short distance from the dock and decided to return to shore. Operator said that the wind caused the boat to capsize sending both Operator and Victim into the water. Operator went on to say that Victim panicked and said that she couldn't breathe. Victim continued to have difficulty breathing and she was taking on water from the waves. Operator attempted to give Victim her inhaler to help with her breathing, but Victim panicked and wouldn't use it. Operator took the inhaler from Victim and attempted to administer it, but that didn't work either. Two persons in kayaks, a man and a woman, heard the cries for help and approached them. Their attempts to help were hindered because of the wind and more people in kayaks arrived. With the additional help, Victim was placed on one of the kayaks, but she fell off. Someone in a motor boat pulled up to the incident and carried victim to the boat dock where an ambulance was waiting.
     I photographed the Sundancer sailboat to show its size and also to record the information off of its capacity plate. I called Operator and spoke with him briefly about the incident. While speaking with Operator, I made arrangements for him to meet with RFC later in the day to make  a written statement.      On 6/5/12, I made contact with Assistant Coroner and requested a copy of the coroners report for my case file. Coroner told me that because the treating doctor at Macon Medical Center had found water in Victim's lungs, the cause of death would be listed as a drowning. Coroner also told me that the GBI Crime Lab had also denied an autopsy due to the presence of the water in Victim's lungs.

Conclusion of incident:
     It is my opinion that the boating incident which occurred on 6/2/12 and resulted in the death of Victim was the result of the boat capsizing. After they were in the water, it became difficult for them to reboard the vessel and Victim was having difficulty breathing. According to Operator, at some point during the struggle Victim slipped out of her PFD and submerged below the surface of the water. Attempts to resuscitate Victim were unsuccessful and she was later pronounced dead with a cause of drowning.
     This report is based solely on the information made available to me at the time of the investigation and may be changed or modified with the discovery of new information.


FORSYTH                       