On July 24, 2013, at approximately 1416 hours, I, (Nevada Department of Wildlife Seasonal Game Warden), was on boat patrol near Sand Harbor Nevada State Park.  I  received a NDOW radio dispatch call reporting an accident involving two personal watercraft (PWC''s) which had just occurred near the Hyatt Beach located at Incline Village, Nevada.  As I proceeded by boat to the Hyatt Beach at Incline Village, Seasonal Game Warden proceeded by land vehicle from Sand Harbor Nevada State Park to the Hyatt hotel and then the Incline Village Community Hospital.  See supplemental report by Warden attached to this report.    

Upon my arrival at the Hyatt Dock at approximately 1418 hours I witnessed paramedics attempting life support on a victim strapped to a backboard and being moved off the dock towards the parking lot of the Lone Eagle Grill Restaurant.  I contacted co-owner of Action Watersports, who informed me that a serious personal watercraft accident had just occurred in front of the Hyatt boat mooring field involving two females.  I asked the individuals on the dock if anyone had witnessed the accident.  A young woman told me she was riding a separate PWC with the two females who were also on separate PWC''s, riding solo and had witnessed the impact from her PWC nearby.  

Witness stated that Operator2 and her daughter Operator1 were riding their respective rented Sea Doo PWC''s in an area adjacent to the south boundary of the Hyatt mooring field approximately 200 yards from the end of the Hyatt Dock.  She said that both operators were "spinning in circles" and "doing figure eights" with the PWC''s when suddenly Operator1''s PWC hit Operator2''s PWC head on.  She said Operator1''s PWC ran up and over the front of Operator2''s PWC hitting Operator2 in the front of her head and knocking both operators off their respective PWC''s.  Witness stated that Operator1 immediately swam over to her mother who was face down in the water but remained afloat due to her life vest.  Operator1 then reportedly lifted her mother''s face out of the water and screamed for help.  Witness stated that she and Operator1 helped load Operator2 into a boat operated by a good samaritan.  Operator1''s PWC and Operator2''s PWC''s were left adrift immediately after the accident.  

The next witness I encountered on the Hyatt dock was the operator of the rescue boat.  Good samaritan stated that his children saw two PWC''s collide on the lake and told their father.  Good samaritan drove his boat from the Hyatt Dock assisted by a Hyatt dock staff member to the location of Operator2 and pulled her aboard his boat.  While in route back to the dock, Good samaritan stated that he attempted to perform CPR on the female victim until he was relieved by North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District paramedics.  Good samaritan is currently employed as a Fire Captain with the Orange County, California, Fire Authority.  A statement written is attached to this report.

I proceeded to the area west of the Hyatt dock where Action Watersports rents their PWC''s.  I was shown by Action Watersports co-owner the two PWC''s involved in the collision which were parked up on the beach. I noted Nevada registration numbers  and hull identification numbers and examined damage to both machines.  I photographed both PWC''s situated on the beach (see photos attached to this report).  I then contacted an employee of Action Watersports who handled the rental of the PWC's as well as others known as the "Wedding" party.  Employee stated that he was thorough in his safety briefing for all those involved in this particular group and could get me a copy of the rental contract and the signed safety briefing forms (attached to this report).  He stated that he stressed to all the operators to keep a large distance from each other as well as other boats and that accidents can sometimes occur if the riders are too close in proximity to each other.   Statement by Employee is attached to this report.
Incline Village