@Gunni
Smith Mountain Lake did not use to be that way. Please do not confuse that with the locals. Many from out of state come there to include those from further outparcels of VA think it is alright to come and get drunk. When I use to have my dealership there, folks were respectful paticuraly when demoing at night seeing the stars, shuttles, etc when I made a lot of sales doing that. Even in the winter with no one on the lake except for diehards like me sailing in the snow, I would be in a specific area when the game wardens came over and were offered coffee as I carried a big jug to offer coffee to them. They enjoyed rafting up and getting warm inside the boat. We were the only fools out there but I enjoyed the war stories we shared.
As for the accident you referred two, it was an elderly business couple whom I knew of were from Lexington, VA. The dealer you spoke about was not well liked. Anyway, he was driving drunk and ran over that couple killing both. The couple's boat was properly lit for night time running. Anyway the drunk driver first told the police it was his underage son who was driving. After investigating, the police thought otherwise. He was convicted and not sure if he lost his business. Anyway, the lake is heavier patrolled and drunk driving is not tolerated.
The lake is too populated now but when school is in session, the lake generally reverts back to the old lake I recalled. I use to be at Lake Corner with an upside down catamaran sign for my sailboat dealership. I was the first business other than Robie's Country store and that darn moonshine still in the woods behind my dealership. It was made for personal consumption only so in a way, we were legal. Even gave the sheriff a gallon a time or two. Franklin County, VA was considered the moonshine capital of the world. In fact, the Justice Department filed criminal charges against a store who would not give them their sales receipts selling sugar because total sales of sugar was more than sold in NYC in a given year. The store won. When the Justice Dept. exited the courthouse, there was a truck outside in front with all the receipts they had requested. Funny thing those receipts did not show names but only cash sales of sugar. Everyone laughed so hard at those Justice dept children.