Two injured, one arrested on Lake Hartwell during historically busy holiday weekend

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR

It was another historically busy Memorial Day weekend on Lake Hartwell, according to DNR Law Enforcement officials, and that resulted in more incidents.

DNR Law Enforcement Officer Craig Fulghum said they had two people injured while on the lake, one arrest, and issued numerous citations.

“Friday night we got a call about a male subject who had been on the Tugalo River near the Jenkins Ferry area in Stephens County. He had fallen out of the boat and the boat circled back and ran over him. He was taken to Gainesville hospital by Stephens County EMS,” Fulghum said. “Then on Memorial Day we had a PWC incident where the individual was jumping a wake and as he came down his head hit the steering wheel and handlebars on the right side and cut his right eye. He was taken to St. Mary’s in Lavonia and was treated and released.”

And Fulghum said a South Carolina man was arrested on the Georgia side of the lake over the weekend for BUI.

“We had a male subject from South Carolina who failed a field sobriety test Monday and was transported to the Hart County Detention Center. He was charged with one count of BUI – operating his vessel under the influence and one count of failure to obey regulatory marker,” he said.

Fulghum said this Memorial Day weekend was the busiest he has ever seen it on Lake Hartwell and he said that doesn’t bode well for the rest of the summer.

“About every park and day-use area that DNR controls are seeing visitations amplified above where they have been in the past. Any form of water across the state has just got people all over it. Unfortunately, you’re starting to see more fatalities go with that…when you start to see fatalities even before the official start of summer you know it’s going to be a very long summer just from the sheer volume of people. Anyone who was out on Lake Hartwell this weekend can tell you that there were as many people as we have ever seen on that waterway at any given time,” Fulghum said.

Lake Lanier had another drowning over the weekend at Shadburn Ferry near the Gwinnett/Hall County line. Lumpkin County also had a drowning in Dick’s Creek when a 15-year old when under after slipping on some rocks while swimming with his family. His body was recovered a short time later.

People on NextDoor were reporting over the weekend that Tugaloo State Park had closed its gates to more visitors by Saturday because of the sheer volume of people already there.

Fulghum said if you plan to be on the water this summer there are some things you need to remember given the rising number of visitors to Lake Hartwell.

“I guess the one thing I can say is that when you have more and more people visiting our waters and people who may not be familiar with boating laws and/or the area, that when you go out there always be a defensive (boat) driver,” Fulghum exhorted. “Always be looking out for the other person. Just because you’re doing things the right way, it doesn’t mean that you cannot be involved in an incident. Somebody else can you wrapped up into their problems. So, the way you combat that, always keep your head on a swivel. You are continually watching what other people are doing. You go slow. And you get off the water before dark,” Fulghum recommended.

And most importantly, Fulghum said if you plan to have alcohol on board, you need to have a designated skipper to drive the boat.