On Sunday, September 4, 2011, at approximately 1525 hours, I received a radio transmission from Summit County Dispatch (SCD) while I was on boat patrol at Echo Reservoir.  SCD informed me of a woman who had injured her hip.  According to SCD, she was located at Echo's North Beach area.  I asked SCD if this was a boating accident.  They did not know.  I informed SCD that I would be en route to the scene.

I arrived at the north docks at approximately 1530 hours.  As I began to dock the boat, I noticed a ski boat (UT1077WD) in the slip next to the slip I was docking the ranger boat.  On the engine cover of the boat, a female was lying down with two other adults holding/assisting her.  I walked over to the boat and asked what happened.  There were three adult males and one adult female in addition to VICTIM.  VICTIM stated she fell and hurt herself while wakeboarding.  I could see blood coming out of VICTIM' nose.  I then looked up and could see Summit County EMS (SCEMS) had arrived, parked the ambulance on the boat ramp, and were walking to the dock with a backboard.  I began to gather information for the boating accident report.  I also informed SCD that the injury occurred while boating--that is was a boating accident.  SCEMS began helping VICTIM.  I began to speak with the operator/owner of the boat who said that VICTIM was wakeboarding when the accident happened.  She was wearing a Personal Floatation Device (PFD).  She was the only one wakeboarding at the time.  SCEMS placed VICTIM on a backboard with pillows under her left leg.  I assisted SCEMS in walking VICTIM to the ambulance.  SCEMS left the scene at approximately 1535 hours.

I then spoke with one of the passengers on vessel UT1077WD who informed me that VICTIM was wakeboarding when she attempted to jump the boat's wake.  She went high into the air approximately five to six feet then landed face/head first on the water.  She appeared to be in a lot of pain (screaming) when they brought the vessel back to her location.  One of the males on the boat jumped into the water and assisted VICTIM in taking off the wakeboard as her feet were still in the foot inserts.  They were able to pull VICTIM into the boat and return to the north dock located at Echo Reservoir's North Beach area where during such time they called 9-1-1. occupant stated that VICTIM had a lot of experience water skiing but not a lot of experience wakeboarding.

On Thursday, September 8, 2011, at 1930 hours, I called VICTIM and spoke to her for approximately eight minutes.  She informed me that she sustained a posterior dislocation of her left hip--her primary and most serious injury.  She stayed overnight at the hospital (SCEMS stated they were taking her to The University of Utah Medical Center) and was released at noon on Monday, September 5, 2011.  She must remain on crutches and in a full-length leg brace for two weeks.  She did not receive any other serious trauma; however, her nose was swollen and her left hand and wrist was sore the next day.  VICTIM stated she was attempting to jump the wake created from the boat.  She, "...got some air...lost control..." and landed on the left side of her body.

In conclusion, there were no criminal charges or laws violated that caused the accident.  VICTIM was the only individual that was injured.  Boat UT1077WD did not sustain any damage.

Coalville                     