On July 30th 2023 at approximately 1655 hours Tennessee Wildlife Officers responded to the Charleston Boat Ramp in Bradley County with the reports of an injured party from a personal watercraft having been hurt. 

Once officers were able to speak with witnesses on scene, it was learned that there were three personal watercrafts in a party when one of the three operators were injured. Speaking with the two uninjured operators they had stated that while driving their vessels up stream on the Hiwassee River they had passed a blue ski boat that was towing a person behind it. 

Directly after that ski vessel passed the three parties on personal watercrafts began to make and attempt to jump the wake created by that ski vessel that was towing somebody. 

After the three pwcs had jumped the wake, the injured operator of the pwc had fallen off and was facedown in the water. A near by pontoon vessel was able to drive over and help pull the injured party out of the water. 

Once medical personnel arrived on scene and noted the nature of the operators injuries, they had requested that he be flown by helicopter to Erlanger in Chattanooga. After the injured party was treated at the hospital, officers were able to speak with him. 

From what he could recollect from the incident he stated that he was attempting to hit the wake of the ski boat as fast as he could. He had estimated his speed anywhere from 50-60 miles per hour. After hitting the first wake and proceeding to strike a second wave from the vessel, the impact caused him to strike his head on the handlebar of his vessel. 

The two other parties that were riding with him were in front of him at the time of the incident from what he could remember. After speaking with all parties involved in the incident there were not indicators given to investigating officers that there were signs of impairment by any party involved. There were no other injures as that resulted from this incident.

HIWASSEE RIVER
CHARLESTON                    