On June 30, 2103, at approximately 4:30, P.M., Travis County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch broadcast out a boat accident at mile marker 39 on the upper part of Lake Travis.  Travis County Sherriff’s Deputies responded by land while Travis county Game Wardens responded by boat, and Hays County Game Wardens Responded by land.  Upon arriving on location, the officers observed an orange and gray Tige ski boat grounded very close to the shore, and four males walking around.  

After interviewing the four males and obtaining statements from them, it was determined that, OPerator was operating the boat while Wakeboarder was wakeboarding behind the boat and Occupant1 was riding in a tube behind the boat.  Occupant2 was sitting in the back left of the boat facing backwards and Occupant3 was riding in the front of the boat sitting up on the front edge and facing backwards.  The boat was travelling downstream in shallow water in an east ward direction, at approximately 23 miles per hour on cruise control, when the boat made a loud noise and the speed dropped considerably.  Everyone in the boat lurched forward as a result of the impact with what was thought to be a sand bar which caused Occupant3 to be ejected over the front bow of the boat.  OPerator then turned the boat around and Occupant3 came to the surface asking for help.  Occupant1 wrote in his statement that he heard something hit the prop and saw Occupant3’s head come up from the water.  Occupant1 and Occupant2 then jumped in the water and walked Occupant3 back towards the boat and placed him on the rear swim deck.  OPerator then called 911 and gave directions to their.  

While Occupant3 was on the rear swim deck, Occupant1 and Occupant2 tied a rope around both of Occupant3’s legs close to his pelvic region to stop the bleeding.  The all stated that they were in about waist deep water and walked the boat to the shore.  All occupants were not wearing life jackets at the time of the accident; however, the boat contained all of the proper safety equipment required by law.   Austin/Travis County EMS Units arrived on location shortly thereafter, treated Occupant3, placed him on a back board, and transported him to the waiting Star Flight 1 helicopter that then flew Occupant3 to University Medical, Breckenridge Hospital in Austin.   

Occupant3 sustained five boat propeller lacerations to the right rear leg, one at the ankle, one at the calf, two at the hamstring, and one at the buttocks; and three boat propeller lacerations to the left leg, one at the ankle, and two at the hamstring.  It had also determined from the interviews that alcohol had been consumed by the operator of the boat, OPerator; however, impairment or intoxication had been ruled out by Warden, and therefore Boating While Intoxication charges had not been pursued. Evidence of the damage to the boat indicates that the boat struck the bottom of the river bed resulting in bending and breaking the propeller, breaking the propeller shaft support, and bending the rudder shaft.  Damage to the hull just above the propeller also shows where the propeller made contact with the hull when the boat struck the bottom of the river bed.  Remnants of the shorts that Occupant3 was wearing when this accident occurred are visible wrapped around the propeller.  The underside mid-section of the hull where the three stabilizing rudders are located is not damaged thus leading to the conclusion that the boat was plowing through the water with the bow elevated when this accident occurred.
Spicewood