According to witness/operator statements and an assessment of available evidence:

On Monday July 23, 2012 at approximately 13:30 hours, operator was operating a pontoon boat on Douglas lake near the "wave break" at Harbor Crest Condominium community dock.  Operator stated that her four year old daughter, who was a passenger in the boat, told her that she was going to get a drink out of a cooler at the boat''s bow.  Operator stated that she panicked and left the boat''s wheel to get her daughter and the vessel made a right-hand turn into the dock.  an employee of nearby Lighthouse Pointe Marina, said that the vessel hit the dock and ran about three-quarters of the way up onto the dock while still in gear.  Operator then went back to the controls and backed the boat off of the dock.

The impact caused an approximate 4.5'' by 1'' gash to the dock and damaged the boat''s starboard pontoon.  Operator feared that the vessel was taking on water and operated the boat to a nearby island.

DANDRIDGE                     