A man is dead after authorities say he jumped into the Chattahoochee River from an old bridge at Settles Bridge Park in Suwanee.
The 18-year-old, whose identity has not been released, was jumping into the river with friends Sunday night shortly before 8 p.m., according to Capt. Tommy Rutledge, Gwinnett County Fire Department spokesman.
"He resurfaced once and appeared to be in distress. One of his friends and a second river patron initially tried to rescue the man, but said that he became combative and went back underwater and did not resurface. He was not wearing a life jacket," said Rutledge in a statement.
Firefighters dispatched rescue boats, and found the man at 8:52 p.m. in 10 feet of water, 50 yards downstream from where he jumped.
The man was pronounced dead at Northside Forsyth Hospital in Cumming.
Officials with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said it is illegal to climb on or jump from the bridge in the park, and that life jackets are required whenever anyone enters the river.
