On July 5th, 2009 at approximately 3:25 PM, I, State Conservation Officer, received a phone call from Iowa DNR Park Ranger regarding a PWC collision that had just happened on Blue Lake by Lewis & Clark State Park.  Ranger told me that he had been told by some campers that there had been a PWC accident involving two machines that collided at the south end of the lake.  Both vessels had made it back to shore, but both had sustained damage.  There was also a possible injury, but at that time the passenger was refusing any type of treatment.  I told the Ranger I’d be there as soon as I could. 

When I arrived at the Blue Lake boat ramp, I made contact with Ranger and he introduced me to Operator 1 who was the operator of vessel #1. It was a 2005 Sea Doo with registration number IA 1414 AS. He verbally explained to me what happened and I asked if he would give me a written statement, draw a diagram, and to fill out an operator’s report.  He said he would and as he started those things, I took pictures of his Sea Doo and spoke with the owner of the Sea Doo, Owner 1.  Please see attached statements, diagrams, and pictures.  

I then thanked Operator 1 and Owner 1 and told them I was going to go over to the camp site where the second PWC had been trailered and then taken by the owners.  I also told them that I had talked to the CO (Monona/Crawford Officer) and he informed me that he had already told them they couldn’t be operating that machine without safety certificates.  Operator 1 did acknowledge that he remembered the conversation with the CO earlier in the day.

When I arrived at the camp site, I was introduced to Owners 2, the owners of vessel #2, and their son, Operator 2, the operator.  I was also introduced to Passenger 1 who had been the passenger on the PWC.  Vessel #2 was a 2006 Sea Doo with registration number IA 2400 BG.  The passenger, Passenger 1, had initially refused any medical treatment for sore ribs in his side/back area, but his father had then decided they’d better get an x-ray to make sure nothing was broken.  When he arrived back at the campground, Passenger 1 told everyone he was just bruised and there were no broken bones.  I asked for written statements and diagrams from both Operator 2 and Passenger 1.  I also asked Operator 2 to fill out his operator’s report.  I visited with the parents of the individuals involved while I took pictures of the damage to their Sea Doo.  While I was there, I had two other individuals approach me to complain how “crazy” Operator 1, the operator of vessel #1, had been operating his machine around other boats and PWCs violating Iowa’s speed and distance rules, but again, no one actually saw the accident.  I thanked everyone when I was done and returned to the boat ramp where Operator 1 and Owner 1 were waiting.  Please see attached statements, diagrams, and pictures.

When I parked at the boat ramp, I had two other individuals that had just taken their respective boats out of the water complain about the wave runner “with the two kids” violating speed and distance rules and thinking they were driving worse than Operator 1, but again, no one saw the accident actually happen.

I thanked the two gentlemen and then approached Operator 1.  I told him that since there were no other witnesses to the accident besides those involved, he was receiving a citation for not having a valid safety certificate.  I also told him I was not going to issue any citations for violating the speed and distance rules since I had complaints on both vessels driving crazy and no other witnesses to the accident.
Onawa                         