On 8/17/2012, at approximately 4:15 pm a 24' open motorboat was on the Columbia River in the Wintler Park area.  Operator was boating with his family and some friends.  While they relaxed in the park on the beach, 2 other boys who were acquaintances of Operator's friends, approached them and wanted to go out on the boat to wake surf.  Operator agreed. 

The entire party was on board the vessel at the time of the incident.  According to witnesses, Boy1 was the last to surf.  While he was on the stern deck, the driver, Operator, started to back the boat up to retrieve the wake board when the victim, Boy2, started wrestling Boy1 and instantly they both fell off the deck into the water.  Operator immediately threw the boat into neutral.  When Boy2 was helped back onto the swim deck he was bleeding from his side towards the back.  A passenger grabbed a towel and put pressure on his cuts.  The boat drove straight to the shore where a friend of the victim took him to the hospital.  Boy2 had apparently been hit by the propeller sustaining injuries to his side and foot. 

Witnesses say that both Boy2 and "Boy1" had been drinking alcohol and smoked some marijuana in the park prior to going out on the boat.  Their level of impairment was not known.   

According to the Clark County Sheriff's Office marine deputy, Boy2 was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries then released.

Vancouver                     