On May 20, 2023, (operator) and (passenger) were riding a personal watercraft (PWC) at night in a slough off Yellow Creek on Weiss Lake.  The two left the dock from a residence around 10:00 pm.  Both were wearing personal floatation devices.  According to the passenger, they were operating the PWC in an erratic manner, making sharp turns and circular movements, and jumping their wake.  The operator eventually operated the PWC in a straight line towards an island that was northwest of the residence that they left from.  They ran the PWC aground and struck a tree that was on the island.  Both were ejected from the PWC because of the collision with the tree.  The operator was thrown into the tree, causing a severe head injury and multiple other injuries.  The passenger was thrown into the back of the operator and suffered multiple, but less severe injuries.  The PWC came to a final rest at the tree.  
The operator and passenger had been at a party drinking prior to the accident.  One witness stated that she heard the operator state that he wanted to ride his PWC.   She told him that it wasn''t a good idea since it was dark.  A few minutes later, she noticed that both people were gone.  
Witnesses stated that they heard the crash and began looking for their friends.  They located both on the island and began giving them first aid.  They transported the passenger back to the residence by boat but did not transport the operator.  The passenger was transported by ambulance to Floyd Medical Center in Rome, GA.  Cherokee County Rescue Squad recovered the operator''s body.  
Operator had a fake license in his possession.  It came back to a female.  However, he did have a valid Georgia boating license.

Weiss Lake
Leesburg                      