Forsyth County authorities spoke Tuesday afternoon with the family of a man feared to have drowned after bolting into Lake Lanier to get away from a deputy who interrupted an illegal party at Two Mile Creek Park, where there had been underage drinking.
Searchers still have no leads where he might be if he is not in the lake.
“We’re still working diligently behind the scenes with his family trying to identify where he might be,” said Forsyth County Fire Chief Jason Shivers.
The identity of the man, including his age, is not being released because “we don’t want him not reporting himself out of fear of retribution,” the fire chief said
Around midnight Monday, a Forsyth County deputy pulled up on a party in the dark and desolate park area on the cove about two hours after the park was to have been closed.
About 20 party-goers — in their late teens and early 20s — scattered in several directions, Shivers said.
Some of them ran into the water to escape.
By Tuesday morning two women and a man who ran into the water had not been accounted for but by mid-day the two women were located.
“Now our search has been narrowed down to one,” Shivers said, adding that almost three dozen law enforcement officers were part of the operation.
Two boats equipped with sonar were on the lake looking for the man. The Forsyth County Fire Department, Sheriff’s Office and Geographic Information Services were working the search along with agents from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“It’s a sizable (search) operation because there are so many unknowns,” Shivers said.
The waters Tuesday afternoon were clear and calm. “It’s a perfect day,” Shivers said. “If (the man was) treading water, we would have found (him).
Shivers said the fear was that he “succumbed.”
At the shore the water is shallow but the lake bottom quickly drops to 60 feet. Alcohol, which was consumed at the party, could affect the ability to swim, Shivers said.
No criminal charges will be filed, he said.
“Law enforcement is not in any way concerned with criminal charges,” Shivers told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No charges have been filed. We’re not interested in filing charges. If you think that … we might be looking for you and someone doesn’t know your whereabouts, call 911.”
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