On saturday, june 25, 2011 at approximately 13:31 hours, operator was boating on lake norman in the vicinity of marker 3-5 in a cove.  The operator was maneuvering vessel 1 in an attempt to tie up to another boat on his port side.  As the operator was approaching the other boat, (the victim) who was a passenger on vessel 1, jumped off the stern of the vessel into the water.  Apparently the operator did not realize that the victim had left the boat because he continued to operate vessel 1 in an attempt to come along side of the other boat.  For whatever reason the victim swam back towards the stern area of vessel 1.  At this time, a a passenger on the boat that the operator was attempting to dock beside, screamed at the operator that the victim was in the water behind him and that he needed to cut off his engine.  At this time the operator reached up, grabbed the throttle, and "slammed" the throttle into reverse, backing over the victim.  The propeller of vessel 1 struck the victim causing serious injuries as noted below.  It is the investigator's opinion that when the operator realized that he had hit something, the operator put vessel 1 into forward gear and possibly struck the victim a second time with the propeller.

Based on the initial interview of the operator, it is the investigator's opinion that the operator had almost no experience operating a boat and when he realized the victim was in the water behind vessel 1, the operator just panicked.

According to the victim's mother, the victim had the following injuries as a result of the accident:  severe laceration to the right arm that caused it to be amputated, several lacerations to a breast that caused it to be amputated, serious lacerations to both legs, punctured lung, and severed sternum.

It is the investigator's opinion, based on experience, that the operator was not under the influence of any impairing substance at the time of the accident.
Vessel 1 was carrying 15 adult passengers including the operator and the victim, although it was only rated for 14 passengers.  Vessel 1 was only equipped with 11 adult life jackets.
Please see attachment a for a list of witnesses that was compiled with the assistance of two charlotte mecklenburg marine patrol officers.
The operator was charged with negligent operation of a motorboat, endangering life and limb and operating a motorboat with insufficient number of pfds.

MOORESVILLE                   