On Friday, May 25, 2012, at around 4:20 PM, operator was boating with family, and friends, on Clinton Lake, approximately 1/2 mile southeast of the Westside Access Area.  Operator was operating the vessel.  Four people were onboard and two were being pulled in a tube.   Operator operated the watercraft in a circle and pulled the tubers back across the boat''s wake.  Tubers were thrown from the tube.  Tuber1 landed on top of Tuber2.  Tuber2 said she "felt something snap" in her back.  Tuber2 was assisted back onboard the watercraft by members of her boating party.  According to Tuber2, she had severe pain in her mid to lower back, was nauseous, and trembling.  Her father, Operator, called 911 and transported Tuber2 to the Clinton Lake Westside Access area to meet the ambulance.

At approximately 4:29 PM, Conservation Police Officers arrived on-scene at the Westside Access Area and conducted a preliminary investigation.  Tuber2 was conscious and alert.  No indication of paralysis was present.  Clinton Ambulance Service arrived at around 4:44 PM.  Tuber2 was transported by Clinton Ambulance Service to OSF St. Francis Hospital, Bloomington, IL.

An inspection of Operator''s watercraft determined his vessel was in compliance with the Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act.  No alcoholic beverages, or narcotics, were discovered onboard the boat.  Niether alcohol nor drugs were a factor in the accident.

On June 02, 2012, I made a follow-up phone call to Operator to determine the extent of Tuber2''s inuries.  Operator said Tuber2 was not permanently injured.  He stated Tuber2 had the air knocked out of her lungs when tuber1 landed on top of her.  The result, was air escaped from Tuber2''s lungs into her chest cavity.   The effect of the air trapped in Tuber2''s chest cavity caused the pain in her back.  Operator said, hospital staff advised, over time the air from Tuber2''s chest cavity would be expelled and the pain would subside.  father claimed Tuber2 was feeling normal again at the time of our conversation on June 02.

Clinton                       