RedactedNarrative: On March 15, 2015, at approximately 2135 hours, I, Ranger First Class (CIRT Investigator) received information from RFC regarding a boating incident on Lake Lanier. He told me the vessel had crashed on a rock piling and overturned causing one fatality.  
  
  We were at the Chattahoochee River channel marker C-30, where I saw a white and blue Monterey cabin cruiser, registration GA 9057 CG, over turned on its top, laying on exposed rocks just north from Browns Bridge Road bridge on the east side of Lake Lanier in Hall County.  The battery on the vessel was continuously chiming and a strong smell of fuel was surrounding the vessel.  We continued to secure the area to keep other vessels away from the incident.  I contacted the owner of the vessel and received verbal and written consent to search the vessel at 0959 hours.  Owner told me his boat was leased out through Freedom Boat Club.  
  
  I documented the damage and photographs taken.  (See evidence damage log). There was extensive damage to the bottom hull including two large gouges that were roughly 4’10” in length and one gouge that was 1’6” long.  The port side of the vessel had the most damage to the side, which showed rotational movement, scratches, fiberglass spider webbing, and crushed fiberglass. Tow Boat arrived on the scene and patched the holes on the hull and towed the vessel to our facility.
  
  Based on the physical evidence at the scene and the statements from DNR LE Officers, responding Hall County and Forsyth County Fire Department personnel, Hall County Investigator and witness statements, the facts show that subjects were cruising on Lake Lanier in a 27' Monterey vessel Operator had reserved from Freedom Boat Club on March 15, 2015 at approximately 1500 hours.  They were returning to Freedom Boat Club from Winding Lake Drive headed south towards Browns Bridge Road.  At approximately 2010 hours, Operator and Victim were at the helm of the vessel.  Operator was sitting closest to the throttle behind the steering wheel as he operated the vessel left of center, in the Chattahoochee River channel, violating rules of the road, and struck submerged and exposed rocks located at channel marker C-30.  This impact caused the vessel to abruptly stop in motion, rolling on its port side, turning of opposite direction, and flipping completely over on its top.  The impact caused Operator to be ejected from the vessel and Victim was trapped under the vessel, having the top half of her body, including her head, to be submerged under the water surface causing her to drown.