A 48-year-old man was the first drowning victim of the Fourth of July weekend Saturday evening, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
The man, identified as 48-year-old Frantz Joseph Scutt of Gainesville, had been in the water at a home on Little River on Lake Lanier in Hall County, according to a news release. DNR game wardens responded around 7:30 p.m. He had been pulled out of the water by bystanders and was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, where he was pronounced dead.
No other drownings have been reported so far this holiday weekend, according to the DNR. But there have been 11 people charged with boating under the influence since Saturday. And with thousands of boats and even more boaters expected to be on the water this weekend, DNR officials are warning people to caution, especially with no lifeguards on duty at Lake Lanier’s 20 designated swimming areas.
Five fireworks shows are scheduled for the weekend at the lake, Game Warden Jason Roberson previously told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and each show can have a turnout of about 5,000 to 6,000 boats.
“It’ll be a very congested place, there’ll be a lot of partying, a lot of drinking a lot of dangerous behavior going on,” he said.
Officials urge boaters to have a designated driver and for everyone to wear lifejackets.
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