On June 6th, 2013 at 1153 hours the Gila County Sheriff''s Office dispatch center in Payson (AZ) received a 911 call reporting a person cut by a boat propeller at the South Pasture area of the Bermuda Flats Campground on the Tonto National Forest.  This location is off State Route 188 mile post 251.1 in Tonto Basin Gila County, Arizona.  
  I arrived at 1208 hours and contacted the owner / operator of the vessel involved.  The victim of the accident was being treated by Tonto Basin Fire Department medical personnel.  I took photographs of the injury to Victim''s lower left leg and Operator''s 2007 Bennington pontoon boat. 
  According to statements made by Operator and Victim, they were on the water about mid-channel across from the Bermuda Flats Campground.  Operator was using his pontoon boat to pull Victim across the water on an inflatable raft.  Victim fell off the raft and Operator stopped the boat.  Victim said she used the rope connecting the raft to the boat to pull herself in.  Operator said he''d placed the boat in reverse briefly then returned the throttle to the neutral position.  With the vessel making sternway (backing up) and Victim using the rope, both parties were closing in on each other.  Victim said there were large swells at the time she approached the boats'' stern.  Victim said that the water pushed her into the lower unit and believed the propeller cut the shin of her left leg.  Victim made her way onto the boat and was taken to shore where she was treated for her injury.  
  Medical personnel provided first aid and Victim was transported by private vehicle to the Cobra Valley Hospital in Globe (AZ) for further treatment.  Victim sustained a laceration running from just below the knee down the front of her shin approximately six (6) inches.
  I was assisted by Deputy with the Gila County Sheriff''s Office.  Deputy was operating a Sheriff''s Office boat in the area.  Operator and I were able to direct Deputy, from the shore to the area he (Operator) thought the accident occurred.  Deputy was able to obtain a latitude and longitude, air and water temperature as well as wind speed and direction.
Tonto Basin, AZ