ON 08/06/2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:23 PM, A BOATING INCIDENT OCCURRED ON LAKE NORMAN NEAR MARKER T4 IN DAVIDSON CREEK. THE LOCATION OF THIS INCIDENT IS IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY. VESSEL #1 WAS A BRP GTI SE 155 PERSONAL WATERCRAFT, OPERATED BY V1 OPERATOR. VESSEL #2 WAS A BRP RXT-X PERSONAL WATERCRAFT, OPERATED BY V2 OPERATOR. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. VESSEL #1 WAS TRAVELLING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT APPROXIMATELY 15MPH. VESSEL #2 WAS TRAVELLING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT VESSEL #2 WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD VESSEL #1 AND TURNED HARD TO SPLASH WATER ONTO VESSEL #1. THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #2 WAS EJECTED FROM HIS PERSONAL WATERCRAFT AND LANDED IN FRONT OF VESSEL #1. THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #1 HAD NO TIME TO REACT. THE BOTTOM OF THE BOW OF VESSEL #1 STRUCK V2 OPERATOR IN THE TOP RIGHT PORTION OF HIS HEAD CAUSING A SEVERE LACERATION.

  FOUR FRIENDS WERE ALL RIDING PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ON LAKE NORMAN WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THEY LEFT HOLIDAY MARINA AND HEADED NORTH TOWARDS DAVIDSON CREEK. THEY ALL RODE TO THE END OF DAVIDSON CREEK NEAR THE I-77 CAUSEWAY. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, VESSEL #1 WAS IN FRONT TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 15MPH. VESSEL #2 WAS TO THE REAR STARBOARD SIDE OF VESSEL #1. VESSEL #2 WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH IN A DIRECT PATH AT VESSEL #1. V2 OPERATOR, THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #2 TURNED HARD TO HIS STARBOARD SIDE TO SPLASH WATER ON VESSEL #1. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT WAKE FROM VESSEL TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. THE ABRUPT TURN AND THE WAKE CAUSED V2 OPERATOR TO FALL OFF THE PORT SIDE OF HIS PERSONAL WATERCRAFT. V2 OPERATOR LANDED RIGHT IN FRONT OF VESSEL #1. THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #1 HAD NO TIME TO REACT AND WENT STRAIGHT OVER THE TOP OF V2 OPERATOR. V1 OPERATOR SAID THAT IT HAPPENED QUICK, AND HE FELT THE IMPACT WHEN HIS VESSEL STUCK V2 OPERATOR IN THE HEAD. V1 OPERATOR TURNED AROUND AND SAW V2 OPERATOR IN THE WATER BLEEDING. THE OTHER TWO PERSONAL WATERCRAFT THAT WERE WITH THEM DID NOT WITNESS THE IMPACT BUT QUICKLY CAME TO HELP. THEY HELPED V2 OPERATOR OUT OF THE WATER AND TOOK HIM TO NORTH HARBOUR CLUB AND CALLED 911. MEDICAL PERSONNEL ARRIVED ON SCENE AND TOOK V2 OPERATOR TO CMC MAIN IN CHARLOTTE, NC. V2 OPERATOR RECEIVED STITCHES TO THE LACERATION ON HIS HEAD AND WAS RELEASED.

   VESSEL #2 WAS OPERATING IN A RECKLESS MANNER CAUSING THE OPERATOR TO BE EJECTED FROM THE PERSONAL WATERCRAFT. THE OPERATOR LANDED IN THE WATER RIGHT IN FRONT OF VESSEL #1. VESSEL #1 HAD NO TIME TO REACT AND COLLIDED WITH THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #2. THE IMPACT CAUSED A SEVERE LACERATION TO THE HEAD OF THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #2. AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #2 WAS CHARGED WITH RECKLESS AND NEGLIGENT OPERATION OF A PERSONAL WATERCRAFT.
LAKE NORMAN
DAVIDSON                      