Runaway Baja ejects passengers, smashes into dock
By LakeExpo.com Staff
Monday, July 23, 2007 12:11 AM CDT
Four boaters were ejected from this 2005 Baja at the 14MM before it traveled a quarter mile and crashed into a Celebrity Cruiser Saturday evening at around 8:30 p.m.
(Photo courtesy Missouri Water Patrol)
LAKE OF THE OZARKS (14MM) - A Baja hit a wake ejecting everyone aboard and causing serious injuries Saturday evening. The boat continued with no one at the helm for a quarter mile before it veered right, hit a rock reef, changed direction, crashed into the walkway of a community dock and landed in a Celebrity Cruiser. The impact of the collision detached the dock and spun it 180 degrees.
"I'm surprised we're not looking for someone in the main channel today," District II Commander Capt. Matt Walz said Sunday. "We're also lucky no one was on the dock when the boat hit it. It was a destructive collision."
William Schumacher of De Pere, Wis., was one of four boaters ejected from the Baja. He sustained a compound fracture to his right leg and was rushed to Lake Regional Hospital for emergency surgery. Amber Schumacher reportedly had a compression fracture to her spine. Two other passengers, Gregg and Allison Schumacher of Green Bay, Wis., escaped the incident without injury, according to the Water Patrol report.
William Schumacher was allegedly operating the 2005 Baja at a rate of speed not conducive to evening conditions when the accident occurred, according to Walz.
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