Prop cuts her arm off !
 

Posted On: May 30, 2008 by The Farber Law Group
Spokane, Washington man charged after boat accident on Newman Lake severs wife's arm
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that a Spokane man has been charged with felony assault by watercraft after a boating accident on Newman Lake severed his wife's arm below the elbow. Robert Kienel, age 27, was operating a 20-foot Quantum Bow-Rider ski boat and his wife, Alana Kienel was riding in the bow. When Robert Kienel made a sharp turn at approximately 35 mph, Alana Kienel was thrown off the boat and the boat's propeller severed her arm. Her arm was not recovered.

The charges against Robert Kienel stem from the fact that he may have been intoxicated at the time of the accident. The Spokane County Sheriff's department said that they found beer and wine containers on the boat's floor and Kienel's blood was tested for alcohol at the Spokane Valley Medical Center. Assault by watercraft is a Class C felony in the State of Washington. A Class C felony carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing is based on the seriousness and the offender's "score" based on any prior convictions.

In Washington State, it is also illegal to ride in the bow of a boat, a practice called "bow riding."

This information was brought to you by Washington Injury Attorney, a service of The Farber Law Group. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a boating accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney. We have more than 30 years of experience in the Pacific Northwest representing people who have been seriously injured or killed in boating accidents.

Yup- hard to escape our reputation of "Rednecks" around here with national news like that- got to feel sorry for his wife.:(

Very Sad to hear something like this.

Although this was an incident with a moving boat , this is a great reminder that the back of the boat has a lot of very hazardous objects attached. Please Please remember this when your boating this summer. The transom is not the place to "hang out".

Safe boating!

Julie

got run over by twin clevers 21 years ago with the scars on my back to prove it. Not much fun

Ouch...

WHAT? Holy $hit! I gotta see them....Key West....November:party-smiley-004:

:confused: With the popularity of bow rider boats, I find this hard to believe.

Michael

My guess is that she was riding on the bow. Not a bow rider. Not sure if this is the case.

That is one hell of a price to pay. Very sad.

One of the saddest parts of this tragedy is the rabid vulture secretly jumping up and down cheering this terrible accident and planning his next windfall profit