With the new summer descending upon us, I think this story is timely. I apologize if this story is matter of fact. It's not very colorful.
When I graduated high school, I immediately left for basic training in the Army National Guard. After three months in Fort Benning, GA. I came back home. There were several of us who joined and went to basic together. I will save this for another time.
We returned in August, prime time for the lake. My friend KK (I will use abbreviations when needed) had a ski/bass boat. CA had a new jet boat his Dad bought. We had a gathering of folks that we went to basic with and some local friends from surrounding areas. Prescott, Delight, Gurdon, Arkadelphia, etc.We were going to ski and swim and have a big time. We had the boats. We were going to have fun.
The ones of us from basic had become like brothers. Or at least, cousins. We had formed a bond in a short period of time that we were carrying over after coming back to the "real world". We broke up into groups in each boat and began the day. I had to work that evening at the movie theater, but I had to take part in this.
The best I can remember there was about five or six folks in each boat. We were skiing, swimming and having a great time. And indulging.
As the day wore on both boats starting hanging around with each other closely. We started riding around next to each other alot. CA didn't pull any skiers because it was a jet boat. KK was pulling DB skiing behind his boat. Then it went..
I was riding in KK's boat. I was sitting in the front of the boat. Keep in mind this was a bass boat/ski rig. For those of you who don't know, there is a chair on a pedestal on the front deck of the boat for fishing. That's where I was. I was in charge of watching the skier and telling the boat operator if something happened to the skier, because he had his back to them.
We were going along parallel to the dike on Hwy 7 (as pictured above) a couple hundred yards out pulling DB skiing. Then CA came up beside us between us and the dike. He kept "jumping on it" and pulling out ahead of us in his jet boat, then falling back to get back beside of us. This went on several times.
The next moment changed us all.
CA "jumped on it" and pulled ahead of us and then turned directly across in front of us. I guess because of the speed his jets came out of the water. His boat stalled and spun broadside right in front of us. I can remember looking at KK behind the wheel of the boat I was in and seeing a look I'll never forget. Sheer panic.
I turned around to face CA's boat and there was no doubt. We were going to collide. There's no slamming on the brakes in a boat. I'm not sure if that was even a possibility, if it would have made a difference. We were just too close.
I remember feeling the impact and the front end of KK's boat going up in the air. I used that momentum and jumped. It wasn't a conscious thing. Or maybe it was. I just did it. Then I hit the water. It was all just about as quick as it took you to read this sentence.
If you have never been in a wreck-type scenario it's hard to describe your thought process. Your brain seems to cancel out everything but what's directly in front of you, right then.
When I surfaced I saw both boats. KK's was sitting there not moving. All I saw of CA's was the nose pointing straight up out of the water. Then there was a big release of air and water seemed like, and it sank. My brain was having a hard time wrapping around the moment.
There was still people in KK's boat and there was a lot of hollering going on. I couldn't tell you what was being said. I knew I wasn't hurt, but I was trying to survey the situation. It was just so surreal. A few minutes ago we were having a good time. Now it was not real anymore. But yet, I knew it was.
I started to swim toward KK's boat and I guess I had tunnelvision. All of a sudden MH (one of the friends I made from Prescott), who was in CA's boat was in front of me in the water. He said, "Help me, I think my back is hurt". I held onto his arm and we both made our way to KK's boat. It was sitting very low in the water, like it was sinking, too.
When we got to the side of the boat he raised his arms to the folks in it to help him. As they pulled him up, right in front of me, I saw two huge gashes in his back. It almost looked like he was damned near cut in two. We had become really good friends in basic. Probably the best of. This sight just really made me jump back.
When I got in the boat, MH was laying face down on the deck. CA was steadily hollering, "We need to get my boat!' The rest of us immediately started trying to put beach towels in the holes in MH's back. He kept trying to roll around until I finally got in his face and told him, "You're F'd up, quit moving around." We would put a towel in the wounds then a couple of seconds later throw it to the side because it would be filled with blood.
KK said the boat was sinking and he didn't think it would get back to the marina with all of us. Me and another guy jumped out. They left headed that way and we started swimming toward the dike where there was already a crowd gathering. MH would eventually be OK, after surgery and hundreds of stitches.
I eventually got back to my truck. Remember this was the time before cell phones. After I got home I kept trying to call KK at his home with no answer. His was the only phone number I had. I didn't know what to do. Looking back I should have went to the hospital, but I was 18. I guess I know that's no excuse. I guess I was just in some kind of shock. I kept trying to call right up until the time I had to go to work at the theater. No answer.
About an hour after I got to work I got a call from KK. He asked, "Have you seen Kevin?" He was a friend I'd made in basic from Glenwood. "No, why?" "He was in CA's boat and nobody has seen him. His truck is still sitting at the boat ramp." I didn't even know he was in CA's boat. The Sheriff's office had already been notified.
Apparently when KK's boat hit CA's it took out the backseat of the jet boat. Kevin was closest and MH was sitting beside him. The prop of KK's motor when it came across hit Kevin in the head and shoulder. MH must've had time to duck and the prop hit him twice in the back.
Divers found Kevin's body two days later.
Kevin's family took CA to court months later. Everyone in both boats had the same story, except CA. He and his lawyers said KK forced him too close to the dike so he had to pull across and in front of. The defense talked about how the mother was taking pills, the sister had a surgical procedure related to the birth of a child, etc. Basically, they did not deserve to "gain" anything from his death. We were told about all this after the fact. Because we in the boats were all kept out of the courtroom until we testified. I was the last witness called. I sat in a room by myself for four hours, not being able to speak to anyone. When I finally took the stand his lawyer asked me, "Was there a lot of confusion after the accident?" I answered, "Yes." And it was over.
CA was judged as innocent. As the law was set forth then, to prove wanton and will full negligence, CA would've had to have said something like, "I'm going to
carry you out here and try to kill you."
I love the lake. Just like I do the rivers. This does not effect that. Just be aware and sober when you're operating a boat.
This is one of the stories of my days...
