RedactedNarrative: This report documents the personal injury personal watercraft crash that occurred on the Rock River in Winnebago County approximately 200 yards West of the Hononegah Boat Launch near mile marker 158.25.  
  
  Twelve year old personal watercraft operator had just obtained her Illinois Department Of Natural Resource Boat Safety Education Certificate online on 08/24/2018.  Her family traveled to the Hononegah Boat Launch along the Rock River in Winnebago County around 1:00 PM to ride two mid 1990''s stand up style personal watercraft.  Operator, who had "0" hours of watercraft operation experience, was allowed to solo operate one of the single occupant stand up personal watercrafts on the river.  
  
  After the initial launch, Operator idled the personal watercraft while on her knees momentary out in front of the boat ramp.  Then, without warning, Operator rapidly accelerated the personal watercraft upstream (Westbound) at a high rate of speed paralleling shore in excess of 45 mph. as indicated by family members on scene.  Seconds later, Operator collided with an overhanging and partially submerged tree along the North Shoreline which extended several feet out into the river.  The collision caused Operator to be ejected from the personal watercraft where she was seen face down in the water not moving.  
  
  Upon witnessing the collision, a cousin who was operating the second personal watercraft, rapidly accelerated over to Operator, jumped off his P.W.C. into the river, got her face above water, and swam with Operator in his arms downstream back to the boat launch.  It was during this time, he reported, that Operator regained consciousness.  Operator was wearing a Type III United States Coast Guard Approved Personal Floatation Device (Approval Number: 160.064/4835/0).  
  
  Operator sustained a cracked skull and open wound from her right temple along the right side of her head to behind her right ear as reported by Rockton Police Department who was first on scene.  Operator was transported by ambulance to Rockford Memorial Hospital Mercy Emergency Room where she awaited emergency surgery.
  
  EOR