Kayak Tragidy East of Fresno

Woke this morning to find this in the paper,
http://www.fresnobee.com/updates/story/1500050.html
I hope This was not a case of foul play or alcahol boating.
Please be careful out there.
Eric

Eric, for some reason the Bee link is hitting a dead end. Is this the same story - Shaver Lake?
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=6886773

Tragedy indeed...

Was interesting reading about another boating accident that occurred at Shaver Lake in 2006 that involved drinking and speeding. I can see why the sheriff held up boaters leaving the lake for about 6 hours as they inspected boats.

While I certainly find the boaters on lakes to be a nuisance at times, I usually think more about the dangers of a collision when I am paddling near a foggy, coastal harbor.  This story makes me reconsider  mounting a flag and carrying a air horn even on the lakes.


http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=6152491

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/crime/story/1494297.html


A boating expert has delivered a potentially damaging testimony in the case of a Fresno boy whose head was almost split in two after the propeller of a boat caused him severe head injuries.

Dallen McEntire and his father Jeff were on Shaver Lake in Fresno County, California over the Memorial weekend in 2006, and Dallen was being pulled on his kneeboard. A boat driven by Roger Isaac Guzman made a sudden sharp turn, and slammed against 11-year-old Dallen, throwing him into the lake. His head collided with the boat's propellers, and he sustained severe head injuries. Guzman and his passenger Thomas Christopher Kirby fled the scene. Now, it appears that Guzman was under the influence of alcohol, besides having pathetic boating skills.

The defense attorneys claimed that the damage to the propeller was caused by a piece of wood. However, boating expert Harold Kindsvater testified on Friday that the dent couldn't have possibly been caused by a piece of wood since there were no scuff marks on it. It couldn't have been a rock either because paint didn't seem to have peeled off. It definitely hit something solid, he said, but it wasn't wood, or rock.

At this point one cringes thinking about the "solid object" that came in contact with the propeller - an 11-year-old boy's skull. Imagine the impact of a collision that was strong enough to have caused a propeller to dent. Now, imagine what the impact must have been on the young boy's head.

People who are stupid enough to drink and get behind the wheel do so on both land and water, it appears. If you have been injured, or a loved one has been killed by a drunk driver on a boat or on land, contact the California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

I have to admit the other day I was out fishing, about 5 kayaks in the fog and swell.  Only the kayak with an orange flag was visible 90% of the time.  Definitely an eye catcher.

Very tragic events, the place I've felt the most in danger is the Delta, especially Discovery Bay. Boats come flying around the sharp, blind corners there. The flowered memorials you occasionally see on the banks tell the tale of previous accidents

Very tragic events, the place I've felt the most in danger is the Delta, especially Discovery Bay. Boats come flying around the sharp, blind corners there. The flowered memorials you occasionally see on the banks tell the tale of previous accidents

Agreed, the delta is insane.

James/Stormscrambler and I were in the empire cut yesterday at the FW event and were buzzed by several massive cigarette boats driven by guys like this...And I now need to clear my image search history!


and his friends

I knew a guy in high school who was kind of a loser because he'd been mauled by a ski-boat and was counting on a 6 figure settlement to get him through life once he turned 18...

At least I know that if my paddle scars someone for life, they were asking for it. 

Why is it legal to drink and operate a motor boat? Or is it? People do it all the time.

Why is it legal to drink and operate a motor boat?

As far as I know, it's not. My understanding is that it carries the same penalties as driving drunk. But there doesn't seem to be much enforcement.

I was on Don Pedro a couple weeks ago. It was the first time I've experienced PBs slowing down when they saw me. They weren't even close, just being considerate of their wake.

Ben

Why is it legal to drink and operate a motor boat?

As far as I know, it's not. My understanding is that it carries the same penalties as driving drunk. But there doesn't seem to be much enforcement.

I was on Don Pedro a couple weeks ago. It was the first time I've experienced PBs slowing down when they saw me. They weren't even close, just being considerate of their wake.

Ben

Actually a couple of boats did the same that past weekend in the delta. Put most went blowing by at 30 MPH.

Why is it legal to drink and operate a motor boat?

It's not.  I've witnessed more people getting BUI tickets than I can count at Barryessa.  I believe it's just like getting a DUI, you lose your license, etc.

I've searched and searched and come to the conclusion that the BUI laws do not apply to kayaks, being human-propelled craft...  But I'm sure you could get a drunk in public ticket if you were outta control.

I've searched and searched and come to the conclusion that the BUI laws do not apply to kayaks, being human-propelled craft...  But I'm sure you could get a drunk in public ticket if you were outta control.

Not so sure about that, Eric. I just read about someone getting ticketed while riding drunk on a bar stool. 

thats true hojo, but it was a motorized bar stool.  if he was on a regular pedal powered barstool he would have been fine  (not really)

thats true hojo, but it was a motorized bar stool.  if he was on a regular pedal powered barstool he would have been fine  (not really)

just an FYI, in many states pedaling drunk is a DUI.  In CA, its not a true DUI but a seperate bicycle DUI or so I have been told.