Nearly 30 BUIs issued, 4 injured in boating accidents over Memorial Day weekend
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has released its final report on the boating activity that occurred over Memorial Day weekend.
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From Saturday to Monday, game wardens issued 29 boating under the influence (BUI) citations to 29 individuals.
Throughout the weekend, authorities responded to seven boating accidents, resulting in four people being injured.
The first incident happened Saturday at 3:15 p.m. Game wardens on Lake Hartwell responded to a boating incident in Lightwood Log Creek. When they arrived, they learned that a personal watercraft (PWC) with three riders hit a wake and were thrown off. A female passenger sustained a right ankle injury and was taken to a hospital in Anderson, S.C.
The second accident happened around 8 p.m. near the Savannah River. Officials said debris from a vessel was floating down the river. The DNR said game wardens found the operator about 100 yards from the boat landing, where he had tried to trailer his vessel.
The DNR said that while hooking his boat to a trailer, the operator fell into the water but was able to hold onto the vessel and stop the engine.
After stopping the engine, the vessel sank. The operator swam to the bank, where the game wardens found him. He was arrested for BUI. His age and identity were not released.
Then, just after 11 p.m. on Jekyll Creek in Glynn County, authorities were called to another accident where a jet drive dual console boat ran over the Jekyll Jetties and stopped 20 yards into the marsh on an oyster bed.
While four people were on the boat, there were no reported injuries.
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On Sunday, around 8:40 p.m., game wardens and Cherokee County deputies were dispatched to a boat accident at Harbor Town Marina on Allatoona Lake. After a strong thunderstorm hit the area, a man driving a small cabin cruiser returned to the marina and hit the dock and another vessel that was tied up. Deputies interviewed the man and determined that he was under the influence. He was arrested for BUI and was taken to the Cherokee County Jail. His age and identity were not released.
Then on Monday, around 12:26 p.m., game wardens on Lake Blue Ridge in Fannin County responded to a boating accident between a PWC and a pontoon boat on the south side of the lake. When they arrived, they learned the operator of the PWC was traveling above idle speed when it hit the bow of the pontoon boat. Before the crash, the PWC operator jumped off the PWC into the water. The operator was able to swim back to the PWC. The operator of the PWC was issued a citation for operating a PWC above idle speed within 100 feet of an object. Officials said no one was injured during the crash.
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At 3:00 p.m. on Monday, game wardens were dispatched to a boat accident near Glade Marina on Allatoona Lake, where a PWC that was jumping the wake of a larger vessel hit the other vessel, causing damage to both. The operator of the PWC was charged with violating the 100' law. No injuries were sustained.
Around the same time on Monday, game wardens were notified by Putnam County dispatch that a PWC hit the rip rap (rocks) at the Highway 44 bridge on Lick Creek at Lake Oconee. When they arrived, they learned that two teen girls were riding on the PWC, driven by a teen boy, when it started to rain hard. The driver told game wardens he couldn't see because of the rain and was driving over 50 miles per hour, trying to get back to the safety of the boat ramp, when he went up the rip rap, almost to the guard rail on the highway. The two girls were taken to the Medical Center of Central Georgia with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver was taken to Good Samaritan's Hospital by a family, also with non-life-threatening injuries.
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