5 Dead, 4 Injured After Boating Accident in Georgia

Five people have died following a collision between two boats in Georgia Saturday morning. 

The Memorial Day weekend collision occurred on the Wilmington River, per a Chatham Emergency Services spokesperson, and took place as two boats carrying nine people crashed around 10:30 a.m. near the Oatland Island Wildlife Center docks in Savannah. Three bodies were recovered on Sunday by search and rescue teams, after two people had already been discovered dead. Four passengers were rescued following the collision. 

The three bodies discovered on Sunday were found at 9:00 a.m. within 14-foot deep water, per the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Four of the five people killed were members of the same family: Chris Leffler, 51, Lori Leffler, 50, and their sons, Nate, 17, and Zach, 23, per USA Today. Their daughter Katie, and her friend, survived the crash. The other victim has been revealed as Savannah resident Robert Chauncey, 37.

Savannah resident Mark Christopher Stegall, 45, has since been arrested for boating under the influence in connection with the deadly collision. Chris Leffler was a history teacher at Calvary Day School, where Nate attended. 

“Everyone that knows them has seen faith in action,” said head of Calvary Day School Hunter Chadwick. “Chris, Lori, Zach and Nate were loved by so many and will be missed dearly. Chris was great at building relationships with students, parents, and peers. He was an outstanding teacher, coach, and he was a friend. Nate, a senior at Calvary Day, had a quiet demeanor, contagious smile and passion for athletics. He was well-liked by his peers, was a great brother and a loving son.”