On 7-4-09, Myself and Deputy were on our PAtrol Boat working on the Columbia river.  At about 1445 hrs, we were leaving the dock at Columbia Point Marina.  We noticed a personal watercraft (PWC) entering the no wake zone clearly making a wake.

There was a male operating the PWC and a female passenger.  We tried yelling "no wake" to the violator, they didn't hear us.

The PWC went to the Richland Yacht Club and were tying the personal watercraft to a dock when we arrived.

Both individuals were upset.  They said their friend had been hurt on a boat and they were on the way in as well.  Female rider on the PWC was heading up to get a car to take the injured party to the Hospital.  It was all hard tp get information from the female because she was clearly upset and cryinf saying she hurt her friend.

Talked to the operator of the PWC.  He advised the female I was trying to talk to accidentally hit someone on a tube being towed by a boat with this particular PWC.

All parties involved are friends and were out together.  I explained to them, due to the fact someone is going to the hospital, a boat accident investigation had to be conducted by the Sheriff's Office.

The boat with the injured party arrived about 10 minutes later. The injured female said she was OK, just probably thought she should go to the hospital to be checked out.  Injured had a small abrasion on her forehead and one on her shoulder, her right side.  Injured walked to the car and appeared fine.

Indviduals said they take her to the hospital, no ambulance needed.  We got names and phone numbers quickly of the people that were taking her to the hospital, and then interviewed the rest of the involved individuals.

A female identified as subject 1, went to  Injured crying and said, it's all my fault I am so sorry.   Injured responded with, its OK, it was an accident, I'm fine.  

According to all parties, they were in the area by Gull Island, by Leslie Grove Park about in the middle of Columbia River taking turns riding the personal watercraft and then on the tube being pulled by the boat.subject 1 was alone and operating the PCW.  Injured was on a tube by herself being towed by the boat driven by subject 2. subject 2 had just boughts this boat about a week ago.  It show the sale, he hasn't put it in his name yet.  

The boat was making a turn with the tube upstream. subject 1 was in the area on the PWC.  No one exactly remembered what position they were pointing when the accident happened.

The boat turned to spin the tube arousubject 1 was in the area on the PWC and panicked because she saw the tube coming too close and let off the gas, which in turn caused her to lose steering ability.

The PWC driven by subject 1 bumped  Injured on the tube with the front of her PWC.

There was no damage done to either vessel, tube or anything else.

All involved parties said the tube or the PWC and the tube was hardly moving.

Due to the amount of the boat traffic on the COlumbia River at that time, water was pretty rough. Injured advised the boat operator , that her head hurt after that.

That is when they all started back in to the Richland Yacht Club to take  Injured to the Hospital to be checked out just to make sure she was OK.

At the time of the accidsubject 1 was alone on the PWC, 2 was driving the boat, subject 3 was in the portside passenger, subject 4 was in a middle seat, subject 5 was in the rear starboard seat, 6 was in the rear port seat, 7 was in the middle seat in the bow,8 was int bow seat starboard side.

All parties involved said it was just an accident, including  Injured.

No one said there was any "messing" around going on, just an accident and lack of experience forsubject 1 on the PWC.

I advised all parties that this could have been very bad and they were all responsible for keeping a proper look out.  I advised subject 1 she has to be aware in all directions what is going on while o
Richland                      