Man, 74, drowns in Georgia’s West Point Lake in Troup County, authorities say

Authorities in Troup County, Georgia, say a 74-year-old man drowned Thursday in West Point Lake as he went boating with his brother.

The victim was identified as Randall Wilson of Carrollton, Georgia, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies were called at 6:40 a.m. to the Yellow Jacket Boat ramp off Cameron Mill Road, where the caller told them he and his brother had just launched the boat, and the brother had stayed in it while he parked the truck and trailer, investigators said.

When he returned to the ramp, he saw the boat was floating empty, and his brother was struggling in the water before going under, he reported.

Officers with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources helped recover the body about 7:20 a.m., the sheriff’s office said.

This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 11:24 AM.

Tim Chitwood

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

706-571-8508

Tim Chitwood is from Seale, Alabama, and started as a police beat reporter with the Ledger-Enquirer in 1982. He since has covered Columbus’ serial killings and other homicides, following some from the scene of the crime to trial verdicts and ensuing appeals. He also has been a Ledger-Enquirer humor columnist since 1987. He’s a graduate of Auburn University, and started out working for the weekly Phenix Citizen in Phenix City, Ala.