Two large boats collide and two BWI's issued and Ameren UE has proposed to eliminate the white foam by 12/1/2008.

Here is the collision story::

Collision

Boats crash in the dark; two BWIs issued

By Joyce L. Miller

LAKE OF THE OZARKS - A 58-foot SeaRay ripped the flying bridge off a 36-foot Trojan when the two boats collided nearly head-on at the 4-mile marker Wednesday evening.

The drivers of both boats were arrested on drunken boating charges by the Missouri Water Patrol.

All seven people on board the Trojan, including several children, were thrown into the water. The driver of the Trojan escaped without injury. Six passengers were taken to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment of minor injuries after being pulled out of the lake by the Water Patrol.

A Water Patrol spokesman said John Vanhoogstraat of Wildwood, Mo., who was driving the SeaRay, was arrested as was William Conn, of Eldon, who was piloting the Trojan. The owner of the Trojan is listed on the accident report as Yacht Haven Marina. Vanhoogstraat is listed as the owner of the SeaRay.

The Water Patrol said the SeaRay went up and over the Trojan. Vanhoogstraat told officers he was coming out of a cove at about 9:30 p.m. and making a left turn into the channel when he saw the lights on the Trojan. It appears that both boats tried to make a last-minute maneuver to avoid a collision.

The Water Patrol said the preliminary investigation indicated both boats were within the 30 mph night speed limit.

The accident was reported by witnesses who said they didn't see the crash but heard the two boats smash into each other and heard screaming.

A Camden County deputy arrived on the scene first and said he couldn't get to the wreck without a boat and didn't have a light that would illuminate that far from shore. He said he could hear victims in the water calling for help.

The Water Patrol said the Trojan was a total loss. The SeaRay suffered extensive cosmetic damage and was released to the owner Thursday.

A lot of craziness on that lake. That's got to be something else, having a 50' SR and a Trojan collide.

i'm glad no one, especially the children were seriously injured. at least Johnnie V. can cruise around on his Rough Rider for the rest of the summer. sounds like a bad deal for both parties involved.

jbk

If you get a BWI do you lose boating privledges?

YES!

JV will not lose his boating privileges....believe me......

Maybe now the water patrol will watch the Cruisers a little closer!! and take some of the heat off the performance boats!!

JBK, Who is Johnnie V. ?? Sounds like you know him?? Is he the guy that went to the Miami Show and ordered a new huge Sea Ray and a Big Cigarette and then bought a used cigarette and a used searay to have until they were built??

i have never seen whether or not the lake is considered a narrow channel, giving the right away to those travelling along the channel.

A bwi in Missouri is a misdemenor and a $500.00 fine, no loss of boating privlegdes.

WOW! No wonder there seems to be a problem. Add a 1 year revocation of boat privledges for a first offense and now your are starting to have some deterence.

But with that penality there is no way.