    On May 31, 2010 at approximately 1:59pm, TWRA Officer and I were notified of a boating accident on Boone Lake near Rockingham Marina. We were notified by Washington County 911 dispatch about the accident and that Washington County Rescue Services was on scene. Upon arrival at Rockingham Marina, I found that an injured female was being transported by rescue services to Johnson City Medical Center and the vessel operators and other witnesses were still on scene.
     According to operator and witness statements, Vessel #1, a Kawasaki 900 Jet Ski, was struck by Vessel #2, a Yamaha GP1200, during an attempt to spray or splash the occupants of vessel #1. Operator2 stated that she was trying to turn, but her Yamaha PWC would not turn and they hit the other vessel. An inspection of the Yamaha PWC showed no mechanical problems.
     Occupant and operators were uninjured. Only one occupant was injured. She was admitted to Johnson City Medical Center were she later underwent surgery on her right lower leg. She sustained a compound fracture of both the right tibia and fibula near the ankle. She was later released on June 2, 2010.
     After reviewing the statements from those involved and assessing the vessels after the accident, it is my conclusion as the investigating officer that the accident was caused by the reckless activity of attempting to splash or spray by swerving the PWC. Operator inexperience may have also been a contributing factor to the accident as Operator2 may have experienced PWC off throttle steering loss (the loss of steering after releasing throttle). I also found that both operators had not completed the required Tennessee Boating Safety Course.
     

IMFORMATION ADDED ON 08-06-2010: Operator2 has been charged with Reckless Operation 69-9-216(a) and Violation of Boating Safety Requirements 69-9-226 and the citations were presented by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Sullivan County District Attorneys Office to the Sullivan County Juvenile Services Office. As a condition of dismissal of the charges, Operator2 will be completing Tennessee's Boating Safety Education Course and Sullivan County's Juvenile Services' Better Decisions Course for youth.

Operator1 has been charged with Violation of Boating Safety Requirements 69-9-226 and the citation was presented by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Sullivan County District Attorneys Office to the Sullivan County Juvenile Services Office. As a condition of dismissal of the charge, Operator1 will be completing Tennessee's Boating Safety Education Course.
JOHNSON CITY                  