ON JULY 15, 2009 AT APPROX 9:45AM A TWO PWC COLLISION, RESULTING IN ONE INJURY, OCCURRED IN BAYOU BONFOUCA IN SLIDELL. VESSEL 1 WAS A 2000 POLARS GENESIS THAT WAS OPERATED BY OPERATOR 1. VESSEL 2 WAS A 2008 SEADOO WHICH HAD TEMP LOUISIANA REGISTRATION AND WAS BEING OPERATED BY OPERATOR 2. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, VESSEL 1 WAS OPERATED BY OPERATOR 1, AND VESSEL 2 WAS OPERATED BY OPERATOR 3 OF SLIDELL LA. PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, BOTH VESSELS WERE PERFORMING MANY RAPID DOUGHNUT STYLE TURNS IN THE BAYOU CAUSING A GREAT DEAL OF SPRAY TO ENGULF BOTH VESSELS AND GREATLY RESTRICT VISIBILITY. VESSEL 1 HIT VESSEL 2 AND RAMPED OVER IT CAUSING OPERATOR 2 TO BE EJECTED INTO THE WATER. OPERATOR 2 SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES, A FRACTURED ORBITAL, AND A FRACTURED LEFT HUMERUS. HE WAS TRANSPORTED BY AIR TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN NEW ORLEANS, WHERE HE WAS IN A COMA UNTIL JULY 27, 2009. BOTH OPERATORS WERE WEARING ADULT TYPE III PFD'S. NEITHER ALCOHOL NOR DRUGS CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. OPERATOR 1 WAS CITED AT THE SCENE FOR VIOLATING RS34:851.5, RECKLESS OPERATION OF A WATERCRAFT, ON CITATION #D519134 & RS34:851.20F, EXPIRED BOAT REGISTRATION, ON CITATION. OPERATOR 2 WILL ALSO BE CITED FOR RECKLESS OPERATION OF A WATERCRAFT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL.
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