It was a deadly weekend on the waters of Lake Murray. Four people were killed after four boats collided in two separate crashes this weekend. Investigators are now trying to figure out what caused a day at the lake, to turn deadly.
Everything was calm on Lake Murray on Monday, but on Saturday evening it was anything but quiet.
"We generally see a few deaths each year, as a result of boating accidents," said Department of Natural Resources Sergeant Ken Simmons.
Simmons spends his days monitoring areas like Lake Murray and says what went wrong Saturday, is still very much a mystery.
"This one was rare in the sense of there were two accidents happening in a very close proximity and very close time."
30 minutes separated the two collisions. Coroner Gary Watts says the victims Kelli Bullard of Lexington, Matthew Howk of Columbia, Randall Carter of Irmo and Amber Golden of Alabama, died from traumatic injuries sustained in two separate crashes.
Lake Murray workers like Kevin Jones knows accidents can happen, despite an ongoing push for safety.
"If we feel like it's an unsafe thing we contact DNR or our main supervisor, and they take it from there."
Investigators are now studying the wreckage to determine what caused the deadly collisions. Officials say the accidents are a reminder of why it's so important to follow the rules of safety while on the water.
"Boaters at night are required at sunset to have the proper running lights," said Simmons. "It should be seen for two miles. We do come across boaters that don't have those, and that generally results in some accidents."
Saturday's fatalities are the first for Lake Murray, but the eleventh for the state. The investigation into the deadly accident continues.
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