On Saturday, August 5th, 2023, at approximately 2045 hours, I, Corporal, with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division Critical Incident Reconstruction Team, was contacted by GA DNR LED CIRT Supervisor, Sergeant in reference to a boating incident, resulting in serious injuries, on Lake Burton at approximately 1510 hours in Rabun County. 

GW1 said when he arrived on scene at approximately 1515 hours, the 2000 Sylvan open motorboat (GA Registration), powered by a 135 Evinrude outboard motor, was occupied by two male subjects: Operator and Subject1.  GW1 said when he arrived on scene, Subject1 was lying on the floor of the vessel at the bow and Subject2 was sitting on the seat on the port side of the vessel.  

GW1 said the operator of the vessel, according to witnesses, was Subject1.  Subject1 was operating the vessel in a northeast direction on Lake Burton with one adult male passenger.  Subject1 was traveling around the right side of the island at the mouth of Timpson Cove and slowed down for another vessel, which was causing a large wake.  Subject1 then accelerated the vessel while making a sharp left turn to his port side and collided with the rock seawall at the island.  The collision with the seawall threw both subjects on the floor of the vessel and caused severe injuries to both occupants.  GW1 said Rabun County Fire and EMS arrived on scene at approximately 1525 hours to assist and transport both subjects to Anchorage Marina.  The subjects were airlifted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

GW1 said he was able to secure information as well as secure witness statements from who saw the incident occur.  GW1 said there were multiple Sam Adams Octoberfest beer cans throughout the vessel and he could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Subject1 and Subject2 as they were loaded onto the Rabun County Fire and EMS vessel.  

GW1 said he contacted Game Warden for assistance.  GW1 asked GW. to secure a search warrant for a blood draw of the suspected operator, Subject1, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Georgia.

While on scene at Tallulah Falls, GW1 escorted GWFC. and I to the scene of the incident on Lake Burton while Cpl. secured a search warrant for the 2000 Sylvan vessel.  We photographed and measured the impact area on the rock seawall.  We observed damage approximately five feet, five inches across the seawall with several markings on the rocks as well as several broken and misplaced rocks on the seawall.  Fiberglass from the Sylvan vessel was located on the island: one piece was nine feet from the edge of the rock seawall, one piece was 11 feet from the edge of the rock seawall, and one piece was 12 feet four inches from the rock seawall.

We returned to the Georgia Power Building at Tallulah Falls and met with Cpl. who secured a search warrant for the vessel.  At approximately 1300 hours, we executed the search warrant and photographed the Sylvan vessel for evidence.  I observed extensive damage to the bow of the vessel.  The floor of the vessel was separated from the hull, the gate on the bow was torn off
Lake Burton
TIGER                         