RedactedNarrative: On July 15, 2016, I received notice of a fatal boating incident on Lake Lanier, Hall County, Georgia. I was advised to respond to Lake Lanier on Saturday July 16, 2016 as the Critical Incident Reconstruction Team (CIRT) case agent.
  	I arrived at the Gainesville Medical Center at approximately 0800 hrs on July 16, 2016, where DNR Sergeant and DNR Major were standing by with two deceased female victims. I was briefed on the incident and current recovery operations by Sgt.. I was taken to the female victims to photograph and document injuries.
  	The first female, identified as V1 occupant1, had open fractures to her left humerus and possible fractures to the right shoulder and collar bone area. There was a large amount of blood and fluid draining from the ears indicating head trauma. There was also a linear contusion on her outer right thigh.
  	The second female had open fractures to her left humerus. V1 occupant2 had a large laceration on her head extending from the brow area to the top of the head. The laceration was deep enough to observe the skull. V1 occupant2 had broken teeth and blunt force trauma to the face. Along V1 occupant2's left arm was what appeared to be an abrasion or "road rash". Other minor abrasions were noted on V1 occupant2 arms and legs. I was advised by Sgt. these abrasions were caused by the Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) during recovery efforts. I was advised by Sgt. and Major there would not be an autopsy performed. I requested blood be drawn and toxicology be performed on all victims, in the case it was later discovered someone other than the vessel owner was operating at the time of the incident. Toxicology was not performed.
  	I left the hospital and met Cpl. at Terry's Towing in Flowery Branch, GA where the vessel had been secured the night before. The vessel was a red in color 38 foot 2009 Skater 388 SS, Hull Identification Number xxxxxxxxxxxx, open motor boat with twin 1,650 horsepower Mercury inboard/outboard engines. Cpl. obtained a search warrant for the vessel. Cpl. and I began by performing an inventory of the vessel. Personal items were removed and secured to return them to family of the deceased. A large amount of alcoholic beverages were located in the vessel. Six racing personal floatation devices were found onboard. These PFDs were not U.S. Coast Guard approved devices. One expired Type IV hybrid was located on the vessel. Upon completing the inventory, Cpl. and I documented and photographed the damage to the vessel. 
  	The bow and port side of the vessel did not appear to have any damage. The starboard side of the vessel had crushing damage nearly the entire length of the vessel. There were areas where the internal bulkheads pushed through the outer hull indicating the vessel had impacted the water hard on its side. The damage to the rear of the vessel indicated a hard impact. The skegs on both motors were broken off. The covers of the outer board units were also broken off. The hydraulic pump mount for the port engine was broken. Damage to the fiberglass over the unit showed the motor was pushed upward into the hull extreme force. I noted mounts were installed for trim tabs or "K-planes" but the tabs were not present. There was no damage to the mounts which indicated to me the tabs were not installed on the mounts at the time of the incident. The seating area of the vessel had water impact damage. The windows of the vessel were pushed down and back indicating the vessel was upside down and traveling forward at the time of impact.
  	A marine mechanic, was brought to the vessel to download the engine computer data. The mechanic downloaded and secured the data and issued a report. Nothing indicated a mechanical failure with the engines at the time of the incident. The mechanic and I observed a speedometer mounted on the center console with a recall button. The recall function indicated a speed of 148 miles per hour.
  The damage indicated to me the bow of the vessel had ramped upward and the vessel launched out of the water. The vessel fell back into the water with the port stern striking the water first. The vessel dug in and caused the starboard side to slam into the water. The force of the impact pushed the port motor up into the fiberglass deck. The vessel rocked back and forth before rolling starboard and landing upside down. During the violent side to side motion, the occupants were ejected from the vessel.
  Sgt. and I returned to the hospital that evening and met with both families of the victims. Personal items not needed for the investigation were turned over to the families.
  During the night, I received messages from Sgt. that the two male victims, V1 occupant3 and V1 occupant4, had been recovered by DNR Rangers and transported to the hospital in Gainesville. I requested blood to be drawn for toxicology but was advised blood could not be drawn due to coagulation. I was also advised by Sgt. that urine could not be retrieved for toxicology.
  On Sunday July 17, 2016, I went to Gainesville hospital to photograph and document injuries to occupant3 and occupant4. Occupant3 did not have any exposed injuries to note. There was blood and fluid present in his nose and mouth at the time of examination. Occupant4 had a deep laceration to his left upper lip. There was blood and fluid present in occupant4’s nose and mouth.
  I returned to Terry's Towing and continued examining the vessel. Photographs were taken of the damage and diagrams of the damage were started.
  I reviewed witness statements obtained by other DNR Rangers the night of the incident. Witnesses stated occupant3 was running with another vessel named "Pure Platinum" operated by operator2. Witnesses estimate the vessels were traveling between 100 and 130 miles per hour. Statements show that occupant3 turned his vessel left and crossed operator2's wake. According to witnesses, occupant3's vessel went airborne, landed on the stern, bounced side to side, and then flipped landing upside down. This information matched the damage found on the vessel.
  On August 15, 2016, I returned to the vessel and downloaded the onboard Global Position Satellite system of the Skater. This information showed the track of the vessel on Lake Lanier. The last speed data recorded by the GPS was 81 mph.
  
  Conclusion:
  Based upon witness statements, physical evidence available at the time of the investigation, and my knowledge,
  training, and experience as a Critical Incident Reconstruction Team investigator, I, Cpl., conclude the following:
  
  On July 15, 2016, occupant3 (operator/owner), occupant2, occupant4 and occupant1 were in occupant3's Skater vessel (Vessel 1) on Lake Lanier. Occupant3 was operating the vessel, occupant2 was in the front starboard seat. Occupant4 and occupant1 were seated in the rear seats. Vessel 1 was traveling southwest near Lake Lanier Islands and Cocktail Cove. Vessel 1 was behind operator2's vessel (Vessel 2), "Pure Platinum", and attempted to overtake Vessel 2 on the port side. As Vessel 1 crossed the wake of Vessel 2, Vessel 1 ramped over the wake. Due to the high rate of speed Vessel 1 was traveling, the bow lifted into the air and Vessel 1 became airborne. Vessel 1 fell back to the water on its port stern sponson first. The starboard sponson then came down and the vessel began to bounce starboard to port.
  According to witnesses, this is when the occupants of Vessel 1 were ejected. The impact with the water at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour likely caused instant death to the victims. The vessel continued forward and rolled onto the starboard side before coming to rest upside down.
  It is my opinion that speed was a major contributing factor in this incident. It is my opinion had the trim tabs/K-planes been installed, the bow of the vessel would have stayed down therefore not allowing the vessel to ramp out of the water. However, the same effect could have been obtained by the operator having the motors of the vessel trimmed properly.