Firefighter dies in boating accident during family trip to lake, Georgia officials say
A day at the lake ended tragically for family and friends of a Georgia firefighter over the weekend.
Chandler Patterson, 27, was spending time off with his loved ones when he was killed in a boating accident Saturday on Lake Tugalo, the Gainesville Fire Department announced on Facebook. Officials said it happened in Rabun County, near the Georgia-South Carolina border.
“Chandler was a super friendly person with an incredible personality!” the department wrote. “He brought smiles to everyone around him with his laid back and caring demeanor. He will be missed dearly!”
Patterson was one of two people being pulled in a tube behind a bass boat, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources told McClatchy News. At some point, Patterson, who wasn’t wearing a life vest, fell into the water.
As the operator of the boat was turning around to retrieve him, authorities believe Patterson may have been run over. Crews recovered his body in 117 feet of water just after 12:30 Sunday afternoon, DNR officials said.
Colleagues at Gainesville Fire are remembering Patterson as “a great person, great firefighter and great friend!” He was a two-year veteran of the department.
Flags will be lowered to half-staff at each of the department’s stations to honor his memory.
Kaplan Mitchell, who officials identified as the boat’s operator, has been charged with homicide by vessel, boating under the influence under 21 years of age and operating a vessel with expired registration, a spokesperson for Georgia DNR told McClatchy News.
Mitchell also faces charges of towing a skier without a PFD (personal flotation device), operating a vessel with insufficient PFDs and operating a vessel with more than 25 hp, officials said.
This story was originally published June 28, 2021 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Firefighter dies in boating accident during family trip to lake, Georgia officials say."