A Georgia Forestry Commission chief ranger and his wife and son died Wednesday night after their car plunged into Hammonds Lake in Haralson County.

According to the fatality report issued by Georgia State Patrol Post 29 in Cedartown, Benjamin Paul Vines, 45 of Tallapoosa; his wife Shelia, 42; and their 13-year-old son, Heath, were traveling west on Morgan Road in Buchanan when they lost control of their Ford Taurus on the snow-covered road.

The car became submerged upside-down in the lake. GSP spokesman Larry Schnall said a resident living near the lake heard the crash and called the authorities after running outside and seeing the overturned vehicle. Rescue workers were unable to save the three victims, who are survived by Heath’s brother, Joshua Vines.

Benjamin Vines, better known as Benny to those who knew him, served as chief ranger for the Georgia Forestry Commission in Carroll, Douglas and Haralson counties for more than 15 years.

Jeff Sibly, co-worker and district forester for the Georgia Forestry Commission remembers Vines as a good man with a great heart.

“He was a very good person, who was outspoken in his community and really cared,” said Sibly. “He would do anything in the world for you before he would do for

himself.”

Vines was active in both his job and community; he was a Scoutmaster Boy Scout Troop 123 in Haralson County.

“He took a lot of his time for the things that were dear to him,” Sibly said. “Benny was a very good leader and represented both the Georgia Forestry Commission and his community.”

While Vines was a Haralson County resident, his community work stretched to Carroll and Douglas counties. He spent several weeks out of each year educating elementary school students on fire safety; in October 2007, he took Smokey Bear into all three counties’ public schools.

“He did anything you asked him to do without complaining, and a person like that is hard to find,” Sibly said.

Sibly also remembers Vines’ outstanding work ethic and commitment to the Georgia Forestry Commission.

“Benny was a good leader for our agency; he never complained and worked tirelessly,” he said.

Sibly said the Carroll, Douglas and Haralson Unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission would be participating in memorial services for the Vines family.

The memorial service for the family will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Tallapoosa; visitation will be held tomorrow from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Miller Funeral Home in Tallapoosa.