ON JUNE 7TH, 2009, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:00PM, I WAS WORKING ON LAKE CHATUGE WITH OFFICER WHEN WE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM OUR SGT. ABOUT A BOATING ACCIDENT THAT HAD HAPPENED ON HIWASSEE LAKE.  WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK OUR BOAT OFF CHATUGE AND HEADED TO MURPHY MEDICAL CENTER IN PEACHTREE N.C., TO MEET THE INVOLVED PERSONS.  AT THE HOSPITAL I TOOK A REPORT FROM OPERATOR, WHO WAS DRIVING THE BOAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  OPERATOR STATED THAT THE HAD BEEN CAMPING WITH HIS FAMILY AT HANGING DOG CAMPGROUND THAT WEEKEND AND HAD LAUNCHED HIS BOAT FROM HANGING DOG ACCESS AREA EARILER THAT MORNING.  HE SAID THAT HE TOOK THE BOAT UP THE LAKE WHERE THE VALLEY RIVER AND THE HIWASSEE RIVER COME TOGETHER, UPSTREAM OF POINT 9.  HE THEN TOOK THE VALLEY RIVER FORK TO THE LEFT AND UNDER THE JOE BROWN HIGHWAY BRIDGE, TO SEE HOW FAR UP THE RIVER THEY COULD GO INTO TOWN.  OPERATOR SAID HE WAS PULLING TWO PEOPLE ON ONE TUBE AT THIS TIME (ABOUT 3:30PM).  AFTER THEY WENT UNDER THE BRIDGE, THEY THEN CONTINUED UNDER THE OLD RAILROAD TRESTLE TRAVELING BETWEEN 10-20 MPH.  OPERATOR STATED THAT THEY WERE, "JUST CRUISING" BETWEEN 10-20 MPH.  ABOUT 200 YARDS FARTHER UPSTREAM OPERATOR SAID HE HAD TO MAKE A TURN TO THE LEFT TO STAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHANNEL.  HE SAID THAT WHEN HE MADE THE TURN, HE REALIZED THE TUBE HAD GONE OUTSIDE THE WAKE WITHOUT HAVING TO LOOK BACK, BECAUSE HE KNOWS HIS BOAT SO WELL THAT HE COULD FEEL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE BOAT'S HANDLING.  AT THAT MOMENT IS WHEN HE SAYS HE PUT THE BOAT IN NEUTRAL TO SLOW THE VESSEL.  THIS IS WHEN ONE OF THE GIRLS ON THE TUBE JUMPED OFF.  WIFE STAYED ON THE TUBE AND MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE THAT IS STANING IN THE HIGHER THAN NORMAL WATER LEVER OF THE LAKE.  SHE MADE CONTACT WITH THE TREE TRUNK WITH HER TORSO, FRACTURING HER RIBS AND POSSIBLY PUNCTURING A LUNG.  SHE WAS TREATED AT MURPHY MEDIAL CENTER AND SENT ON TO A HOSPITAL IN ASHVILLE FOR FURTHER OBSERVATION.  BOTH GIRLS ON THE TUBE WERE WEARING COAST GUARD APPROVED TYPE III SKI VESTS, AND THEY USED A TYPE IV THROWABLE TO FLOAT HER LEGS TO KEEP HER SPINE STRAIGHT WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THE RESCUE SQUAD TO ARRIVE WITH A BACKBOARD.  NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS WERE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT.  THERE WERE 3 PEOPLE ONBOARD THE BOAT AND TWO BEING TOWED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  ALL REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT WAS ONBOARD THE VESSEL.  NO CHARGES WERE FILED AGAINST THE OWNER/OPERATOR, BECAUSE THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY NEGLIGENT BEHAVIOR, NOR WERE ANY LAWS BROKEN.  OPERATOR INATTENTION, AND FAILURE TO REDUCE SPEED TO AVOID A COLLISION ARE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS ACCIDENT.
MURPHY                        