On June 5th of this year, 27-year-old Chandler Patterson married the love of his life. Now, just weeks later, the police reported he had passed away in a boating accident in Gainesville. Patterson, who was a firefighter and EMT for the Gainesville Fire Department went out tubing with his friends on Saturday morning. The group was out on a small boat on Lake Tugalo in Rabun County when the boating accident in Gainesville occurred.
Apparently, Patterson and another male friend were riding on a tube that was being pulled by a bass boat. At one point, Patterson fell off the tube and went under the water. His friend turned the boat around to try to pick him up and allegedly ran him over.
Rescue personnel were immediately dispatched and were able to eventually locate the victim’s body in the lake. The police confirmed that the young man operating the bass boat was under the influence at the time of the accident. He has been charged with a slew of charges, including homicide by vessel. He has also been charged with towing a skier without a PFD, operating a vessel with an expired registration and drinking alcohol while under the age of 21.
The police have confirmed that Patterson was not wearing a life vest at the time of the accident. The spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources stated that their goal was to make sure they at least were able to retrieve the body for the victim’s family.
Chandler Patterson was a popular graduate of the local high school where he played several sports and was labeled “Most Popular” in his senior year.
If you or your loved one are hurt in a boating accident in Georgia, call our office right away. You may have a claim against the boat operator or a third party.
Source: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/newlywed-firefighter-dies-in-boating-accident-family-friends-speak/85-73730f55-79fb-4f7d-9746-ff2b9ff3d3eb
