On May 20, 2023 at approximately 16:20 hours, Corporal, and I, Game Warden with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division were patrolling Lake Lanier by vessel near Van Pugh North Park when Cpl. was notified of a boating incident involving two PWC’s with an injury. The area the incident occurred is known as Holiday Marina in the Hall County portion of Lake Lanier. 

Cpl. and I arrived on scene at approximately 16:25 hours and were first on scene. When we arrived, the two PWC’s had drifted to just inside the “No Wake Zone” of the Marina. The two vessels involved were a Blue in color 2000 Bombardier PWC (vessel 1) with a Georgia Registration and a Red in color Yamaha FX Cruiser SVHO PWC with a Georgia Registration (vessel 2). 

When we arrived, operator of V2 was sitting on the Blue PWC with Operator1 (Operator of V1). Operator2 informed us that he needed a tourniquet, and I helped him onto our vessel to take him to shore. Before taking Operator2 back to shore, Corporal told Operator1 to follow us to the gas dock in his PWC.  We got back to shore and handed Operator2 over to Hall County Paramedics and noticed that Operator1 was not with us at the gas dock. We went back to the scene to check if he was still there.  We only found the people who had initially helped at the crash scene. We then obtained witness statements from those that were at the scene at the docks immediately adjacent to the crash scene where V2 was tied up. 

Cpl. then received a call from Sergeant and Game Warden, also with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, saying Operator1 had gone back to Burton Mill Boat ramp and was taking his PWC out of the water when they arrived. Cpl. and I then traveled to the Burton Mill Boat ramp and I ran SFST’s on Operator1 with negative results.  

When Sgt. asked Operator1 what happened he said Operator2 spun around in front of him and he collided with Operator2.   witness with the Army Corps of Engineers stated that prior to the crash he witnessed Operator1 doing donuts approximately 30 feet from the courtesy dock, clearly within the marked no wake zone. It was later discovered that his kill switch lanyard was also not properly attached to his person. Witness issued Operator1 a verbal warning and the no wake zone and kill switch lanyard purposes were explained to him. We released Operator1 pending further investigation and seized V1 and V2 and brought them back to the DNR facility at Aqualand for evidence storage.

On May 23, 2023 at approximately 1430 hours, Sgt. met with Operator2 at North East Georgia Medical Center to interview him about what happened.  Operator2 informed Sgt. that he was headed towards the no wake zone of Holiday Marina and had come down to near idle speed facing in a southward direction. It was at this moment that he heard an engine near him, so he looked back and saw V1 headed straight towards him. In an effort to get out of the way, Operator2 turned V2 to it’s starboard side, towards the North, to try and get out of the way. V2 didn't make it out of the way in time as V1 struck V2’s starboard side at an approximate 135 degree angle. The collision caused Operator2’s right leg to be broken below his knee. 

It is my opinion based on physical evidence and witness statements obtained through investigation that V1 was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the incident.  V1 was either too close behind V2 or the operator of V1, Operator1 was inattentive to what was in front of him.  This reckless operation of V1 led to it colliding with V2.  Additionally, Operator1 had never completed a boater education course as required by state law.

This report is a true and accurate statement bas

Lake Lanier
FLOWERY BRANCH                