The six kayakers who tried to shoot rain-swollen Potato Creek Jan. 5 took unnecessary risk and were guilty of trespassing, local DNR Ranger Keith Page reported last week. ’Boating is not allowed on non-navigable waterways. The property owners own to the center of the creek. Kayaking the creek is no different than walking down it. If they did not have permission from the landowners, then they were trespassing,’ Page said. According to an incident report from Upson sheriff Dan Kilgore, the group put in at Turner Bridge Road about noon and didn’t get far before one fell from his kayak. Another kayak sunk. Three were trapped and a rescue effort mounted from Mud Bridge Road went through 11 p.m. before all were brought to safety. Sheriff Kilgore identified the clueless kayakers as Austin Prince, 17, of 330 Anglin Rd., Griffin; Bryston Clements, 18, of 234 Liberty Trace, Milner; Gage Doveck, 18, of 796 Cannafax Rd., Barnesville; Jared Doering, 17, of 318 Anderson Rd., Griffin; Andrew Prince, 21, of 169 Kennedy Rd., Griffin; and Chance Thompson,18, of 539 Old Hwy. 41, Milner. The creek was running high and filled with debris at the time, according to a report from the Upson EMA office. Deputies did not file charges against the young men. ’They are very fortunate no one was hurt or killed. Common sense is not very common,’ Page concluded.
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