Niskayuna Fire District 1 paramedics John Baker, center, and Lt. Shane Sweet tend to an injured child struck by a boat on the Mohawk River near the Rexford Bridge Friday, August 28, 2015. The victim was taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment. (Peter Barber/Gazette Photographer) Posted By: Kathryn Hume , http://yourniskayuna.com
August 28, 2015
NISKAYUNA, NY
An 11-year-old girl hit by a boat in the Mohawk River today is in stable condition after undergoing surgery at Albany Medical Center, Niskayuna police said.
The girl, whose name was not released, fell out of the small motorboat at about 11:20 a.m. and was hit by the same boat, police said.
“We don’t know for sure what part of the boat got her, but she received the leg laceration there,” Deputy Chief Michael Stevens said.
There were eight people in the motorboat, which was traveling west on the river just east of the Rexford Bridge at the time of incident. They were part of a three-week “learn to row” program sponsored by the Nisayuna Rowing Club, which was on its last day.
“They came into a no wake zone and the operator went to slow the boat, and we believe, due to the overweight of the boat, the front of the boat ended up partially submerging in water and ejected a couple passengers,” Stevens said, adding that as many as five passengers were either fully or partially ejected from the boat.
The driver, 22-year-old William Lore of Niskayuna, was charged with misdemeanor reckless operation of a vessel and issued a ticket to appear in court, police said.
Police said Lore pulled the girl back onto the boat and brought her to the Niskayuna Rowing Club’s boat launch on Aqueduct Road, where responding paramedics began treatment. A Niskayuna Fire District #1 ambulance brought her to Albany Medical Center, where she is still being treated. Other boat operators on the water as part of the program assisted the other girls, he said.
“I know he’s extremely upset about the incident,” Stevens said. “He did act quickly once the incident occurred to get her back onto the boat and get her to shore. I think he did the best he could with that. Obviously the concern that we have as law enforcement is the fact that there were too many people on the boat and the weight limit for the boat was exceeded.”
Lt. Jason Temple, a member of the Schenectady County Sheriff’s new Marine Patrol, responded by vehicle and issued the ticket. He said the boat, a 1997 Polar skiff, allows for four people or up to 485 pounds.
“And also they had three people in the front of the boat,” he said. “That’s not allowed.”
Alplaus firefighters also responded.