The Franklin News-Post
P. O. Box 250
310 Main Street, SW
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151
540-483-5113
Fax: 540-483-8013
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
By MORRIS STEPHENSON - Staff Writer
Two people were hurt in accidents on Smith Mountain Lake over the holiday weekend.
Lt. Karl Martin with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries said Shannon Harris, 23, of Bedford was seriously injured when the personal watercraft she was operating collided with a pontoon boat.
The incident was reported about 5 p.m. Sunday near Hales Ford Bridge. Harris was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where she was upgraded to fair condition Tuesday, according to Carilion spokesperson Eric Earnhart
In another accident, Martin said a 44-year-old woman suffered a broken leg when she jumped from a boat as it was approaching an island.
That incident occurred at about 2 p.m. Sunday on the Bedford County end of the lake near Craddock Creek. She was taken to a Lynchburg hospital for treatment, but her identity was not available.
A similar accident took place about 3 p.m. Saturday when a PWC crashed into a bass boat on Bull Run near Penhook. No injuries and minor damage were reported.
Martin said safety checks were held Saturday night near Hales Ford Bridge and again Sunday in the Hardy area.
A number of charges were written as a result of the two checkpoints, Martin said, including one operating under the influence charge and two other alcohol-related violations.
A boater was charged with failing to keep proper look-out after his pontoon boat crashed into the shoreline near Christmas Tree Island Saturday around 10: 30 p.m., Martins said
An engine fire aboard a bass boat was reported at 10 a.m. Sunday, Martin said.
"The boat operator had a fire extinguisher on board and put the fire out before any damage was incurred. The incident happened near the Gills Creek entrance on Smith Mountain Lake," he said.
All available conservation officers in five boats were working the two lakes during the weekend, Martin said.
"We have two more boats coming in a couple of weeks, and this will give us seven to use in patrolling the lakes," he added.
"The Memorial Day weekend marks the start to our summer. We had moderate traffic most of the time, with several spurts of heavy boating," Martin said.
"We had nice weather for the weekend, but there was some rain activity and it was humid. But with the arrival of June and the summer closing of schools, we'll see a big hike in traffic on both lakes," he continued.
"All in all, everything was very orderly, and we didn't have a lot of problems," Martin added. |
| |
|
|
|
