On 06-02-2023, at around 12:40 p.m., this incident took place on Williamstown Lake in Williamstown, KY.  Operator was operating his 21-foot Sea Ray pleasure craft with three passengers on board (Passengers 1, 3 and 2). The boat was in the act of towing a four-seat inflatable tube with passengers Injured 1, Passenger 4, Passenger 5 and Injured 2.  Operator began making circular paths, slingshotting the tube behind. When he made what he described as his "last turn", he claimed he looked up and realized how close he was getting to the bank. He stated that as soon he saw the dock, he throttled down and straightened his course. At this point, the tube was still under tension and the momentum of the tube carried it across the water toward the dock. Since the boat was so close to the dock, there was enough rope slack to allow the tube to reach the dock. At that time the tube with passengers struck the dock. All individuals on the tube were wearing personal floatation devices. Injured 1, who was seated in the far starboard side of the tube, impacted the dock first and recieved a laceration to her right hand and complained of pain in her right side.  Injured 2 who was seated in the far port side of the tube, complained of neck pain. The group returned to their dock and called 911. Dry Ridge Fire Department arrived first on scene and transported Injured 1 and Injured 2 to St. Elizabeth/Grant in Williamstown for treatment.

At the time of my interview with Operator, he did not show any signs of impairment. I conducted a Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test which showed no clues of impairment. All of the witnesses stated he had not been drinking alcohol that day. Operator stated he has around forty years of experience boating and goes boating on a regular basis every summer. 

The Sea Ray did not have a rear-view mirror and based on interviews with the witnesses on board, they did not have a designated observer watching the tube.

Agencies that responded include, Dry Ridge Fire Department, Williamstown Police Department, Grant County Sheriffs office, Walton Fired Department, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. 


-OFFICER 1
WILLIAMSTOWN LAKE
WILLIAMSTOWN                  