Crime & Safety

Nearby: Divers Recover Body of Drowning Victim on Lake Lanier

A 44-year-old man drowns on Lake Lanier at West Bank Park located off Buford Dam Road Thursday.


Nearby Sandy Springs, a family outing on Lake Lanier turned tragic, Thursday afternoon, when a 44-year-old man drowned.

Rodrigo Bernal Trejo was pronounced dead at said Capt. Jason Shivers with the , according to Deputy Coroner Nickie Stockel.

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Shivers said units were dispatched at 3:08 p.m. to Lake Lanier for a "missing person, presumed drowning victim."

"Upon our arrival we confirmed with family and friends, and bystanders that in fact a drowning was witnessed of an adult male off the shore of West Bank Park [located off Buford Dam Road] here in Forsyth County," said Shivers.

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FCFD divers performed an initial surface search, followed by an underwater search where the body of Trejo was recovered and brought to shore at 3:46 p.m.

Authorities believe he went under around 3 p.m.

"Typically our practice is to attempt rescue when we can recover a body within the first hour of a drowning," said Shivers. "That in fact was the case today [July 26] because we were able to recover him in about 45 minutes."

"He was brought to shore and of course he was not breathing, but we did attempt CPR," Shivers said.

Melissa Cumming of the Department of Natural Resources said Trejo was recovered approximately 20 yards from the bank in about 11 feet of water.

In an e-mail to Cumming Patch, Karleen Chalker, spokesperson with the wrote, "he arrived from Mexico a few days ago and was staying with family here in Cumming."

An investigation is ongoing.


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