Crime & Safety

Gwinnett Men OK After Incident on Chattahoochee River

Canoe capsizes; Gwinnett and Forsyth crews summoned to the Chattahoochee near Settles Bridge Park.

Two Gwinnett men extricated themselves from trouble late Tuesday on the Chattahoochee River near Settles Bridge Park in Suwanee after their canoe capsized. Rescue teams from Gwinnett and Forsyth counties were summoned to the scene, and no injuries were reported.

Two men from the Lawrenceville area had put into the water at Buford Dam and were planning to exit the river at Jones Bridge Park in Peachtree Corners, said Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge in a media release.

One man was able to extricate himself from the river south of Settles Bridge on the Forsyth side and was safe. He was able to make contact with Forsyth County authorities.

Find out what's happening in Peachtree Cornerswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The second man clung to the borrowed canoe and was carried further downstream before he was able to self extricate. He was a greater distance south of the Settles Bridge area. The man reportedly sought a car ride to Medlock Bridge and came into contact with Gwinnett authorities.

Crews from Gwinnett Fire, Forsyth Fire, John's Creek Fire, Gwinnett Police, and the U.S. Park Service converged on the river to conduct searches.  A helicopter from the Gwinnett Police Department also assisted, using infrared technology.

Find out what's happening in Peachtree Cornerswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We are fortunate that tonight's incident ended with a positive outcome. That is not always the case," Rutledge said in a statement. "This is once again an example of the dangers of the Chattahoochee River during and immediately following water generation and after dark.  People are encouraged to check with the dam before going out on the river. Rivergoers should stay off the water during and immediately following generation times and especially after dark."

The men reported having lifejackets in the canoe but were not wearing them at the time of the incident.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Peachtree Corners