BASED ON INFORMATION TO DATE:  On or about 7/15/09 P1 was operating a personal watercraft that is owned by P2.  He had borrowed the watercraft from P2 from whom he had previously received permission to do in exchange for routine maintenance performed on the watercraft.  He was riding the personal watercraft when he stated that he struck a mass a debris that included some woody materials that were attached to the bottom as well as other woody materials that were floating.  P1 estimated his speed to be around 35-40 mph.  He was traveling upstream through the cuttrhough that leads to Candies Creek at the upstream end of Ledford Island toward the main Hiwassee River Channel.  He stated that he had just taken back off and was picking up speed rapidly heading for the main river channel and was looking at a house on the bank to his right.  He stated that when he looked up he was just about to collide with a large mass of woody debris in the river.  He stated that when he realized he was going to impact the debris that he let off the throttle but did not think that he had time to try to perform any sort of evasive maneuver to avoid the pile of debris.  The force caused by the impact with the debris threw him from the personal watercraft and in the process he collided with the portions of the vessel including the handlebars which appears to have caused his injuries.  The vessel sustained damage along the bottom and wood fragments were seen in the damaged fiberglass.  P1 rode the vessel back to the Marina after the accident which was approximately 200-300 yards away and walked to his home which is located on the Marina property.  He left the watercraft tied up at the marina until the next day.  The next morning he sought medical treatment at Erlanger Medical Center where he was treated and released later the same day.
CHARLESTON                    