Officials Release Name of Drowning Victim

Officials have released the name of the man who drowned on the Chattooga River Monday.

Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis identified the man as sixty four year old Ralph Neal Head of Madison, Georgia.

An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was drowning, and ruled the death accidental.

The incident occurred on Section III of the Chattooga River above Sandy Ford near Mountain Rest just before 6pm Monday evening.

It appeared his legs became entangled in a undercut of a rock in the river, and the current pushed him underwater. Head was wearing a helmet and PFD.

His body was recovered later on Monday evening.