The man accused of boating under the influence at the time of a wreck that killed two brothers is now facing felony charges, the Hall County district attorney said Friday.
Paul J. Bennett, 44, of Cumming, was arrested and charged with homicide by vessel in the first degree more than seven weeks after the collision that killed the Prince brothers, Jake, 9, and Griffin, 13, on Lake Lanier, according to Channel 2 Action News, which obtained a copy of the indictment.
Bennett was being held without bond Friday. His first appearance was scheduled for Saturday morning, according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office.
The brothers were among 13 people on a pontoon boat, driven by the boys' father, when it was struck by a speedboat around 10:30 p.m. June 18.
Bennett, the driver of the speedboat, was arrested hours later and charged with boating under the influence. At the time of his arrest, investigators said additional charges could follow the outcome of a state Department of Natural Resources investigation.
The night of the crash, Jake Griffin's body was pulled from the water by his oldest brother. But the middle brother, Griffin, could not be found. Nine days later, Hall County divers found Griffin's body 113 feet below the lake's surface.
The brothers' deaths devastated not only their family, but also their Gwinnett County community, which held fundraisers and memorials to honor the boys. Hundreds attended the brothers' joint funeral, held July 3 at the family's church in Suwanee.
The boys' parents have not spoken publicly since the tragedy but have released statements thanking those who participated in the search for Griffin and the community for its outpouring of support.
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