Columbus man who drowned Sunday in the Chattahoochee River identified

Authorities have released the name of a Columbus man who reportedly drowned in the Chattahoochee River Sunday night, in the hopes of notifying his next of kin.

Ronald Cyr, a 65-year-old white male who resided in Ralston Towers in downtown, was riding in a boat with another person about 11 p.m. near Cut Bait rapid when the boat started to sink, said Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan.

The other passenger was able to make it to shore, Bryan said.

The victim was pulled from the water near light post 204 and taken to the emergency room at Piedmont Midtown Medical Center.

He was pronounced dead there at 11:09 p.m.

“The Georgia Bureau of Investigations declined an autopsy because it was a witnessed drowning,” Bryan said.

Neither of the passengers was wearing a life jacket, authorities said.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident. Charges could possibly be filed against the boat owner.

This story was originally published May 27, 2019 at 1:06 PM.