On July 22nd, 2023 at approximately 19:00 hours, I, Corporal with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division was contacted by the Georgia State Patrol Dispatch concerning a boating incident with injuries on West Point Lake in Troup County near Yellow Jacket Beach.  

Game Warden and I responded by vessel to the location and made contact with a large group of people on the bank of Yellow Jacket Creek just south of the beach area with two fishing boats beached at the location.  Emergency Medical Services and the Fire Department were already on scene attending to the victim.  Once at the location, I was able to speak to a witness.  

Operator stated he was traveling north on Yellow Jacket Creek when he observed the vessel strike a large wake, became airborne, and then took a sharp right-hand turn.  Operator state the individuals were already thrown from the vessel when it took the right-hand turn. Operator stated he observed the individuals in the water and pulled over to assist when he noticed Victim had sustained a large laceration on the top of her foot.  Operator gave her a throwable floatation device, to support her injured leg and was pulled by boat over to the shoreline.  

Both operator and occupant stated they were traveling on the lake when they impacted a large wake, traveling at approximately 45 mile per hour.  The vessel ejected both from the vessel and then turned sharp to the right, or starboard side.  After Victim and occupant were ejected from the vessel, Victim was struck in the left foot by the propeller of the vessel, causing significant damage to the foot.  The vessel was identified as a Bass Tracker Pro Team 190 TX, 18 feet in length with a 115 horsepower outboard motor.  

Victim was attended to at the location by EMS and Fire/Rescue Services and was then flown by helicopter to the Trauma Center in Columbus.  I spoke with victim two days later to follow up on Victim’s injuries.  Victim stated she had completed surgery on the left foot and would need to have several others, but the doctors were optimistic she would make a recovery.  

Recorded on body camera.

Nothing further.


West Point Lake
LAGRANGE                      