On April 12, 2010 at approximately 9:00am, I, Conservation Police Officer, was contacted by the Charleston Fire Department regarding a boat accident that occured the day prior.  On April 11, 2010 at approximately 2:50pm, two people were both injured in a boat accident.  The operator of the boat, stated he was driving north on the Embarras River between route 16 and the old iron bridge at the stone quarry, approximately 15-20mph.  the operator stated he became distracted by his young grandchild, who has downs syndrome.  the operator stated teh child was trying to throw items from the boat into the river.  the child, his brother and mother were all seated between the operator's seat and the rear port side passenger's seat.  the operator reached down to prevent the child from throwing items into the river at which point the boat veered to the right.  A tree branch then hit the front pedestal seat and broke it off at the base.  the victim was seated on the deck on the port side of the seat facing the rear of the boat.  the victim was struck on the upper back and back of the head.  The limb then acted like a sling shot and hit victim2 in the face and forearms.  victim2 attempted to stop the limb with her forearms.  victim2 was seated in the passenger's seat on the port side rear of the boat.  

the operator stated he called 911 and began driving back the the dock, located approximately 1/4 mile south of the route 16 bridge on the west side of the river.  the victim was at the dock reading a magazine when they arrived.  He met the ambulance at route 16 and guided them down to the dock.  victim2 was transported to Sarah Busch Lincoln Hospital in Mattoon and later transferred to Carle Hospital in Urbana.  victim2 had a large laceration on her forehead, bruising on her face around both eyes and nose and suffered from a hematoma behind her eye.  victim's injuries were not serious, he refused treatment.

the operator stated he knew the limb was there because he remembered steering to avoid it prior to being distracted by the child.  He stated when he looked up, all of a sudden the limb was there and he did not have time to avoid it.
Charleston                    