Operator #1 stated to the effect in an e-mail, On Saturday July 1 in the afternoon I took 1 girl out on my jet ski and 2 went on Operator #2's at their request. We were riding near the abandoned house where the water is flat. There were between 15-20 jet skis in the area as well. As we were driving there were 3 other jet skis around us, one in front and one to the left and right. The jet ski in front turned in my direction, to avoid hitting them I had to make a turn and could only turn right because there was also a jet ski on my left. To avoid hitting the jet ski in front I had to turn and collided with the far rear right of my jet ski that Operator #2 was riding. I was going less than 10. The girls on Operator #2's jet ski fell into the water. 

Operator #2 stated to the effect in an e-mail, The girls asked us to take them out on the jet skis on July 1st. I was following Operator #1 around since I don't know the area. There were a lot of jet skis around us and Operator #1 turned to avoid hitting one that cut in front of him and I turned to try to get out of his way but we weren't able to move enough and the front side of Operator #1's jet ski knocked into the far back right of mine. It felt like the girls jumped off right before contact, I never fell into the water.

Witness, V1 Passenger, stated to the effect via telephone that they were drifting and not going very fast when they struck the other PWC.  Everyone from the other PWC fell out except the driver soon after the hit.  It should be noted that V1 Passenger is a minor and her mother was on the phone during the interview.

Witness, V2 Passenger 1, stated to the effect in an e-mail, We went out for a ride on the jet ski. I was on with V2 Passenger 2/ Injured and Operator #2 was driving.  Operator #1 was driving the other jet ski. V1 Passenger was on with Operator #1. There was a lot of traffic in the area.  We were going slow. Operator #2 went to turn left and then Operator #1 bumped the back of our jet ski. We fell into the water. 

Victim #1/ Injured completed a New Jersey State Police Statement Form and stated, On Friday, June 30th, I went straight from the airport to my friend V2 Passenger 1s house.  I was invited to stay over for two days since her parents rented a house in Ortley as a graduation gift.  On Saturday, the friends asked two guys to come over to drive us around on their jet skis.  They first brought out two of V2 Passenger 1s friends, one on each, and drove them out in the bay for a bit.  Then when they came back, they asked if anyone else wanted to ride on it.  So V1 Passenger (my friend) and I both went on Operator #1's jet ski, and V2 Passenger 1 went on the other guys  (approx. 1:30 pm).  After we got out of no wake zone, Operator #1 started to go extremely fast to the point where I was scared. I was going to fall off.  I was sitting on the seat on the end, holding onto the railings on the side of my seat.  I was asking him to slow down because I was starting to lose my grip but was able to keep control since he ignored me and kept going at a fast speed.  Eventually we got to a calmer part of  the bay and drove around there for a bit.  I did not want to stay on Operator #1's jet ski, so V2 Passenger 1 asked if I wanted to go onto the jet ski she was on.  So, I jumped into the water and climbed onto the other.  We drove around a bit and then we slowed down to turn to the left.  As we were turning, I look to my right to see Operator #1 on his jet ski coming straight at us.  He was looking to his left and had no clue we were right there.  Then right when the jet skis were inches away from each other Operator #1 realized he was about to hit us so he tried to turn left but at that point it was too late.  The area we were in was wavy enough to the point that Operator #1's jet ski came up just enough to hit my lower right back.  By him hitting us, it cause V2 Passenger 1 and I to fall off the left side of the jet ski landing into the water.  I got a bruise on my right inner calve from falling off to the left when we fell in the water I got the wind knocked out of me so it took a few minutes to catch my breath.  I tried to move closer to jet ski to get back on but was in so much pain that V1 Passenger had to jump into the water to help.  V2 Passenger 1 and V1 Passenger both lifted me out of the water just enough to where Operator #1 could get me onto his because his was more sturdy.  I told Operator #1 to go extremely slow back and not to hit any crazy bumps because my lower right back was in so much pain.  He went a longer way back to avoid waves from other boats/jet skis.  When we got back to the house I was able to get myself off the Jet Ski and while holding my lower right back I was able to slowly get to a spot where I could lean my left arm on to take some pressure off from where the pain was coming from.  V2 Passenger 1 then grabbed her mom and explained that we got into a Jet Ski accident and how Operator #1 hit us.  Then V2 Passenger 1's mom told me to go inside with her and when we got to kitchen I called my mom.  I wasn't able to get my phone to V2 Passenger 1's mom.  She explained how we got into a Jet Ski accident and asked my mom what to do.  So, then she gave me Advil and had me lay on the ground with ice on my back.  Eventually my mom and sister came and picked me up.  They brought me back to our house in Little Egg Harbor.  We waited a day to see if some medicine and Ice would help with the pain, but I could not walk or do anything on my own without it hurting.  So on Monday, July 3rd, my dad drove me to the ER at Southern Ocean Hospital in Manahawkin.  I was put in wheelchair and brought to a room where I was given an IV with medicine for the pain.  The doctor saw scratches and thought it was a bone bruise.  They order a CT scan to be safe and saw I had small fractures in my L2, L3, and L4 vertebrae on my right side where the Jet Ski hit me.  They prescribed me muscle relaxant medication to relieve some of the pain.  The doctors recommended seeing a spinal specialist to get their input.  After hospital, I went back home in Morris Plains, Morris County with my dad.  On Wednesday July 5th, I saw a spinal specialist and they confirmed my L2, L3, L4 vertebrae were broken due to forced trauma.

Investigation revealed that Vessel #1 was traveling West while Vessel #2 was also travel West on the Starboard side of Vessel #1 in the Barnegat Bay, Toms River.  Vessel #1 turned right and subsequently struck Vessel #2 and Injured.  Vessel #1's bow Struck Injured and Vessel #1's starboard bow hull struck Vessel #2's starboard stern.  Vessel #1 sustained damage to the hull on the starboard bow and Vessel #2 sustained damage to the starboard quarter.  As a result of the collision Injured and V2 Passenger 1 were knocked off Vessel #2 and into the water.   Injured sustained injuries to her back and right calf.  On a later date she went to the Southern Ocean Medical for treatment. It should be noted that this accident occurred on July 1, 2023 and was reported on July 5, 2023.  In addition, the operator for Vessel #2 did not have a valid boater safety certificate from the California State Parks Division when this accident occurred.  Operator #2 provided paperwork that he had submitted his paperwork to the California State Parks Division; however, the paperwork explained that Operator #2 will need to take a Boating Safety course and pass the exam.  The Date of this paperwork is June 29, 2023.  No other injuries were reported.
BARNEGAT BAY
TOMS RIVER                    