On 08/28/10 at approx. 5:45 PM I, CPO, was notified by ISP Dist# 10 via radio of a boat accident with injuries on Lake Shelbyville.  The boat with the injured party was enroute to the Bo Woods boat ramp.  I responded by land in my squad to Bo Woods.  Upon arrival I met with the boat operator.  Operator stated a passenger (victim) was injured from a fall in the boat due to a hard port turn he felt he had to make to avoid a possible collision with an unknown boat.  Sullivan Ambulance was already on scene and had victim in the ambulance.  Sullivan ambulance transported victim to Sara Bush Hospital.  There was no indication of alcohol consumption by Operator.  Operator and his passengers were only able to give a vague description of the second boat- a small white boat with a black stripe.  I instructed Operator to return to his dock at Findlay Marina.

At Findlay Marina I conducted a boat safety inspection and found all safety equipment to be in place.  Operator stated that victim and another person were seated middle of the boat in a rear facing seat.  When he made the hard port turn victim fell toward the stern starboard side with the other person landing on top of victim.  victim immediately began complaining of pain to her neck, back and arms.  Janes called 911 and informed them they were going to the Bo Woods Ramp.  At the ramp Sullivan Ambulance personnel removed victim from the boat.

I met victim at Sara Bush Hospital where I learned the x-rays revealed she had a fractured vertebrae and another vertebrae pinching her spinal cord.  victim was transferred by ambulance to Carle Hospital in Champaign.  On 08/30/10 victim had surgery to fuse two vertebrae.

At this time there are no investigative leads on the identity of the second boat.
Sullivan                      