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Taylor LP
08-22-2003, 06:11 AM
Posted on Thu, Aug. 21, 2003
Three hospitalized after boat jumps N.C. lake into car
Associated Press
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Three people were hospitalized early Thursday after a boat speeding across Lake Norman apparently became airborne, jumped a guardrail, and struck a southbound car on Interstate 77.
"There's a boat coming into the air!" Lucas Croft thought as he drove down I-77.
Moments later, the boat struck his car.
"It kind of bounced off the hood," Croft told News 14 Carolina. "It was weird because there was no impact. We just kept driving. Then I pulled over because it blew out my tire and dented my hood up pretty good."
Croft did not see was how the boat became airborne.
"The boat hit the bank, and when he did, he came up over the guard rail, never touched the guardrail, never touched neither lane and then landed in the center median," said Rodney Snipes, who witnessed the accident.
Even experienced law enforcement officers were astonished by the events.
"In my 18 years with the Highway Patrol, I've never heard of this happening before," said Sgt. Greg Christopher of the state Highway Patrol.
The collision occurred about 2:20 a.m. where the highway crosses the lake on a bridge at mile marker 30, said Corrine Rust of Mecklenburg County Emergency Services.
"After the collision, it (boat) traveled into the median and turned upside down, where it came to rest," Christopher said.
Croft tried to describe the bizarre accident.
"It was crazy," he told WCNC-TV. "It was like something you'd see in a movie. You don't see things like this happen in real life."
The three people who were hospitalized were all riding in the boat, Christopher said.
One victim was taken by helicopter to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Another victim was transported by ambulance to the same hospital, Rust said, and a third victim was taken to another area hospital.
Robert Jones, 30, and John Bills, whose age was unavailable, were in critical condition Thursday at Carolinas Medical Center, hospital officials said. Jennifer Wade, 28, was in fair condition. Their hometowns were not released.
N.C. Wildlife Officer Bobby Blackwell said officers found empty beer cans in the 20-foot Baja speed boat. They are awaiting toxicology lab results and trying to determine how fast the boat was going, he said. Blackwell said he wasn't sure who was driving the boat.
Christopher said none of the four people riding in the car was injured.
Investigators are trying to determine how the boat became airborne.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, with its expertise in boating, is looking into that area, Christopher said.

JetBoatRich
08-22-2003, 06:13 AM
They showed a quick clip on the news last night, but was not clear how it happened. Looked like a wild ride eek!

Boatcop
08-22-2003, 10:30 AM
NASCAR connection to this accident.
The driver of the boat was the Chief Mechanic for Jerry Nadeau's 01 Winston Cup car. His girl friend works for Petty Racing Experience. They were both hospitalized in critical condition.
The other passenger was an engine builder for Jasper Racing engines. He was hospitalized in fair condition.
The incident happened at 2:20 AM, and there were numerous alcoholic beverage containers, full and empty, in the boat.
Judging from the distance it traveled from the water's edge to the middle of the highway, including obstructions, I'd estimate the speed at a minimum 60 MPH.

OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET
08-22-2003, 10:45 AM
I can't think of better time to be making a high speed pass.......2:20AM :rolleyes:
Omega
[ August 22, 2003, 11:45 AM: Message edited by: OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET ]

Ziggy
08-22-2003, 10:53 AM
OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET:
I can't think of better time to be making a high speed pass.......2:20AM :rolleyes:
Omega With a large dose of liquid encouragement 2:20am is the perfect time...
:rolleyes: eek! :rolleyes:

burbanite
08-22-2003, 10:53 AM
Now you know why we don't like giving people time off, best to keep them busy.....

Wet Dream
08-22-2003, 11:20 AM
I'm thinking that maybe the driver thought there was a bridge over the water and tried to pass underneath it. The lights from the cars and trucks on the road should have been noticeable in the boat. Thats a busy stretch of highway, even at 2am. Even if there was a bridge, there would be bridge supports and those don't budge.

DaveA
08-22-2003, 07:21 PM
I pass over that spot 3-4 times/day. It's just a bank with riprap on it, about a 45deg angle uphill to the guardrail, that's all. The lake's full, and with no moon, you couldn't tell it from the rest of the lake in the other direction since the opposite shore is 1+ miles away. Of course, all the beer cans strewn all over the crash site were a real clue, too.
That Baja got alot of air, is all I can say. I posted the most recent Charlotte paper report link under "Shipwreck on I-77..."

waterslinger
08-24-2003, 04:43 AM
Wow Hope all the boaters have a full recovery.
I ran a buds jet boat up on the bank one time.
After a full day of running our jets in the water
we were ready to load them up. My boy broke out with some beer out of the truck. 3 beers on a empty gut not a good idea. Want to see what your boat looks like on a fly by???? The rest is history. No damage to me or the boat but I got a lot smarter.

Jetty 468
08-24-2003, 07:22 AM
It's fool's like this that will bring change's they you don't want ! Night time is awesome for boating and is the time to chill not speed run's ! This yr alone here in Tx. has had tooooo many people run over by someone drinking to much and hauling ass at night ! Hope all involed will be ok .

bigkatboat
08-24-2003, 09:19 PM
NICE! This is just the kind of story that power boaters need in the news! After sunset, above idle speeds, and alcohol. These people seem to be smart when the sun shines, but totally 'out of control' when it gets dark. This just makes insurance more difficult to get. I'm building a 20' v- drive with 1000 hp for a couple that has a LONG record of trouble free boating and (auto) driving. They are having a TREMENDOUSLY hard time finding insurance. WHY? Not because of ANYTHING THEY HAVE DONE, but because of the others. Those who think of no one smile_sp but them selves.(or not at all). We, (power boaters) must control ourselves, and in turn this will change the 'insurance tables' to our favor. Insurance companies are paying out millions of dollars on boat claims, and so they will continue to raise our rates (to stay in business). Please! Talk with your friends, and try to improve our image with respect to the public and being involved in stories like the one above. Thanks for reading.

HighRoller
08-24-2003, 09:27 PM
I can just imagine the talk before this deal...
"Hey,Skeeter there's a highway up yonder.."
"Go under the bridge Dewayne"
"Uh,there ain't no bridge"
"What?"
"It's a dead end...OH SHIT!!"
"WHAT?"
"We're out of beer!!"
"DAMMIT"
"Is that a liquor store on the other side?"
"Yeah,looks like it....What should we do?"
"GAS IT!!!"