On 8/22/09 at approximately 5:00 pm a family was tubing on Wall Lake in Minnehaha County.  This consisted of a father, a wife, a younger son, and an older son.  The older son was being pulled on the tube by younger brother on a 2000 Bayliner.  Older brother fell off the tube and younger brother swung the boat around to give him the tube. Older brother got back on the tube and younger brother turned around to start pulling older brother. Younger brother had less than 10 hours experience operating the boat.  Younger brother turned the boat sharply swinging around to turn past older brother at over half throttle.  Younger brother misjudged his turn and turned sharply towards older brother on the tube.  Younger brother tried to correct the boat but lost steering due to his sharp turn and speed making the steering wheel turn hard.  Younger brother tried to back off the throttle but was too late and struck his older brother with part of the boat and the prop in the leg.  Older brother was struck by the boat and propeller in the left leg and sustained a large laceration and injured leg.  The father is an ER surgeon at Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls and gave immediate first aid.  Wildlife Conservation Officer arrived on the scene at 5:19 pm.  WCO observed older brother getting his leg worked on by the ambulance crew that had arrived.  WCO spoke with all family members on board and got written statement from each.  WCO spoke to younger brother, the driver.  Younger brother stated that his parents and older brother were out tubing with him since he was leaving for SDSU that next week. Younger brother stated he was pulling older brother on the tube and that older brother fell off the tube and so he swung around and picked older brother back up.  Younger brother stated that he swung too sharp and didn't slow down in time and struck older brother in the leg with the boat and propeller.  WCO observed no alcohol odor on younger brother or any other passengers and found none in the boat.  WCO went to Avera ER in Sioux Falls for a follow-up interview with the family.
HARTFORD                      