A 44 year old Woodbury woman has apparently become the first drowning victim on Center Hill Lake this year.
Dead is Sherry Mathis of Parch Corn Hollow Road, Woodbury.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says Mathis, her cousin (male), and two friends (male and female) were on a pontoon boat on the lake near Lakeside Resort when the incident occurred after 11:00 p.m. Friday night.
According to Sheriff Ray, “They were idling down the lake when she fell overboard.”
The operator of the pontoon threw out a flotation device and then jumped in the water and grabbed her. He and the other two on board pulled Mathis back onto the boat. Her cousin began administering CPR but apparently could not revive her. She was brought back to Lakeside where DeKalb EMS picked her up. Mathis was transported to DeKalb Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Sheriff Ray says according to witnesses, there was evidence of drinking by those on the boat, but it’s not yet known if alcohol contributed to Mathis’ death.
An autopsy will be performed.
The case is under investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and TWRA.
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