On June 10, 2023 while working boating enforcement on Douglas Lake in Jefferson County I was dispatched to a boat wreck involving two PWC at 1930. The wreck occured in Party Cove on Douglas Lake across from Lighthouse Marina in Jefferson County. 

*** On 06/10/2023 while working boating enforcement on Douglas Lake in Jefferson County I was dispatched to a boat wreck involving two jet skis, one white bowrider, and one black pontoon boat. I was dispatched at 1947 and arrived on scene by 2005. I drove through party cove but did not see any individuals in need of aid. 

Once I drove through I was called by witness who informed me that a blue jet ski collided with a yellow and white jet ski. The blue jet ski was left tied to a tree in party cove and the white and yellow jet ski left the scene with a black pontoon boat and headed toward the dam. 

The operator of the blue jet ski got onboard a white bowrider and headed towards Maguire Creek. While I searched Maguire Creek for the individuals involved, an officer went to the blue jet ski and got statements from three witnesses. 

The weather conditions were clear with a low temperature of 54 and a high of 84. Wind was a high of 7mph and was approximately 4mph at the time of the incident. Officers hip towed the blue jet ski into Lighthouse Point Marina. After searching the area we did not locate any operators or individuals involved. 

I found that Operator1 was operating the blue seadoo at the time of the incident and he suffered a bloody nose but no serious injury. The operator of the other jet ski involved and his group on the black pontoon boat were from out of state and fled immediately after the jet skis collided. 

The blue jet ski was no longer operable but the other jet ski involved was able to drive away. After the wreck Operator1 tied his sea doo to a tree and got onboard a white bowrider to leave. After leaving the scene of the wreck Operator1 went to the gas station on the corner of Muddy Creek Rd where he was in the company of a female for some time before his friend picked him up and drove him home at approximately midnight. 

Operator1 called TWRA in the afternoon on 06/11 but the other individual involved has not contacted TWRA.  *** Based on this investigation Operator1 was operating the blue jet ski at the time of the collision. Operator1 was traveling at an unsafe speed (Rule 6), had a risk of collision (Rule 7), did not take action to avoid collision (Rule 8), and had a head on collision with the other PWC (Rule 14). Due to the navigation rule violations and based on witness statements Operator1 was wrecklessly operating the PWC at the time of the incident (TCA 69-9-216). Operator1 also failed to immediately notify TWRA about the boating accident (TCA 69-9-210 (c)).

DOUGLAS RESERVOIR
DANDRIDGE                     