A man who fell while trying to climb a steep rock formation at Center Hill Lake Friday evening remains in trauma intensive care at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.

34 year old Brian McKnight is believed to have suffered serious injuries including broken bones.

McKnight and others were reportedly at the Potts Camp Road access when they decided to go across the lake to the bluff. McKnight had climbed approximately 100 feet when he fell after a large rock he reached for came loose. The rock then fell on top of him after he landed on a rock ledge.

Corps of Engineer officials and members of the DeKalb EMS and DeKalb County Rescue Squad arrived on the scene by boat.

After making their way up the steep bluff, rescue workers reached McKnight, placed him in a stokes basket and used rappelling equipment to safely bring him down, according to Dustin Johnson, Captain of the DeKalb County Rescue Squad, who spoke with WJLE Saturday. McKnight was loaded onto a pontoon boat. From there, he was taken back to the Potts Camp Road access and then transported by DeKalb EMS to a helicopter landing zone which was set up near the churches in the Jefferson Community. He was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital.

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Department provided assistance and members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department established the helicopter landing zone.

Source: 

Partner Station WJLE