ON JULY 16, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:02PM, V1 OPERATOR WAS HEADING SOUTH ON LAKE NORMAN TOWARD WATERSIDE BAR AND GRILL ON HER PWC. SHE WAS OPERATING A YAMAHA WAVERUNNER. SHE WAS ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE LAKE AND SHE STARTED TO REACH FOR HER DOCKING ROPE. IN AN INSTANT, SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT CAUSED THE PWC TO SURGE FORWARD, AND THREW V1 OPERATOR INTO THE WATER. THE PWC TURNS SHARP TO THE RIGHT AT ABOUT A 270 DEGREE ANGLE AND THEN STRAIGHTENS OUT.  

THE PWC IS AT FULL THROTTLE HEADING TOWARDS THE EAST BANK WHERE V2 OPERATOR AND 2 PASSENGERS ARE TRAVELING SOUTH ON THE EASTERN BANK OF THE LAKE. THEY ARE IN A 24 FOOT SMOKER CRAFT PONTOON BOAT THEY ARE APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS AWAY FROM THE BUFFALO SHOALS BRIDGE IN CATAWBA, NC. THE PWC WAS MOVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN IT STRUCK THE STARBOARD STERN OF V2 OPERATOR'S BOAT AND HIS MOTOR. 

THE PWC MAKES A SHARP RIGHT TURN UPON IMPACT, STILL AT FULL THROTTLE AND TRAVELS APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS UNTIL IT HITS THE ROCKS ON THE EAST BANK. 

V1 OPERATOR WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A SERIOUS RIGHT HAND INJURY THAT REQUIRED SURGERY. V2 OPERATOR AND THE 2 PASSENGERS DID NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES.

V1 OPERATOR WAS WEARING A LIFE JACKET AND THE USE OF A KILL SWITCH/LANYARD CAN NOT BE CONFIRMED. THERE IS NOT TO BE BELIEVED THAT ALCOHOL WAS INVOLVED. 

AFTER EXECUTING A SEARCH WARRANT ON THE PWC, THE TECHNICIANS WHO RAN THE TEST DETERMINED THERE WERE NO FAULTY CODES ON THE PWC. EACH COMPUTER SYSTEM SHOWED EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. NO CITATIONS WERE ISSUED.
LAKE NORMAN
CATAWBA                       