SENECA — The Central man who drowned in the Martins Creek area of Lake Hartwell showed signs of a head injury that may have contributed to his death, the Oconee County coroner reported Friday.

Coroner Karl Addis identified the victim as 22-year-old Christopher Allen Orr of 110 Tabor St. in Central.

Orr fell from his boat into the water in an area between Seneca and Clemson at 6 p.m. Thursday. Divers recovered his body four hours later in approximately 28 feet of water.

Addis said that an external exam at the scene found the victim to have head trauma “incompatible with life.” He said an autopsy would help document the cause of Orr’s injuries and death.

According to investigators, Orr was operating a boat that was pulling a person on a kneeboard. When the rider of the kneeboard reportedly fell, Orr made a left hand turn apparently to recover his friend. However, during the turn, he was thrown from the right side of the boat into the lake.

Orr was not wearing a personal flotation device.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources continues to investigate the fatal accident.