RVRGIRL
Taurus
HDF Supporter
Poopsie Bubble Buns
 
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Posts: 2,220
APPD 0.28
Post Rank: 29
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Posted: July 02 2004,12:09 am |
Post # 1 |
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WOW! What a story. I hope he is going 2 be ok. 
Runaway boat a challenge: Agencies work together after driver ejected, arm severed
By BRIAN WEDEMEYER
Thursday, July 1, 2004 10:30 PM MDT
News-Herald Photo/L.J. Frink The water of Lake Havasu may look peaceful and serene, but as one of two information plaques in Windsor Beach State Park warn, it's not a swimming pool. The signs overlook a beach not far from an area where a man had his armed severed last week by his out-of-control boat after he was ejected from it.
In what could have been a scene out of an action movie, local authorities moved swiftly to possibly save a man's life and stop a runaway boat.
Jess Leaver, a 34-year-old Tucson native, was traveling southbound in his new 28-foot Magic boat Saturday when he struck a large wake a few hundred yards from Windsor Beach State Park, according to police. The impact ejected Leaver from the boat, which continued traveling in a large circle at near full throttle.
The boat's prop severed Leaver's left arm near his elbow. It is unclear if the boat made a full circle before striking Leaver or if the injury happened upon ejection.
Lake Havasu City boat police were first to arrive at the scene about 3:45 p.m. Officers Greg Irvine and Jeff Bekkedahl noticed two occupants waving and screaming at them from a small boat. The officers then observed Leaver struggling to hang on to the rear of the boat with his right hand.
In winds up to 20 mph and water swells of more than two feet, Bekkedahl carefully maneuvered the boat closer to the abandoned craft.
"(Bekkedahl) did a phenomenal job with the boat," Irvine said. "We had to get close enough to him without hitting him."
Leaver was mostly underwater as the police boat moved closer. Irvine grabbed Leaver's right hand and pulled him partially onboard. Bekkedahl left the helm to help get Leaver into the vessel safely.
"He was obviously panicked and screaming," Irvine said. "But he calmed down quite a bit after we got him on the boat."
The officers rushed Leaver to one of the launch ramps at Windsor Beach to a waiting ambulance. Paramedics quickly triaged Leaver and transported him to Havasu Regional Medical Center.
By that time, Mohave County Sheriff's deputies were attempting to bring the runaway boat to a halt.
With help from city police and the Arizona Game and Fish Department, deputies set up a large perimeter to prevent other boats from entering the area. The runaway boat was traveling at about 30 mph in a circle covering roughly 150 yards in diameter, Irvine said.
The deputies tied floating bumpers on the ends of a long rope and tossed the rope in the water in front of the runaway boat's path. The rope got caught in the boat's prop, causing it to slow significantly. A second rope was used to eventually stop the unmanned vessel.
"I have to say I've never seen that done before," Irvine said. "The deputies did an outstanding job getting that boat stopped in a relatively short period of time. That could have been a very dangerous situation."
Leaver was later transported by helicopter to a hospital in Phoenix, where he is currently listed in fair condition. Leaver turned down a request for a phone interview.
Irvine encourages boat drivers to take advantage of "kill switches" when they are available. A small cord connects the switch to the driver's wrist in case he or she is ejected.
"I know we use them on our police boats," Irvine said. "The manufacturers install them for a reason, and here is a perfect reason."
 Thats "MRS" RVRGIRL 2 you..... "When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt."
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3-17-2025 Three Word Post.....The Next Generation.... (Rep.#19,664) from: BigDog
But yet that's perfectly legal for them to do that, I see cops watch them go by and they just sit there. 
But yet, I can go in mine with full safety(Lifeline) gear, kill switch and helmet and all I have to do is fire it up and I'm the bad guy and they're ready to kick me off the river!. 
Maybe I'm missing something here but I think there's something wrong with this picture!.. 
Lucky he made it at all. 
He is lucky, just to lose his arm. 
