Opening Day Boat Crash.

Link to story from the Mille Lacs Messenger.

Man arrested following opening day boat accident

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Man arrested following

opening day boat accident

by Vivian Clark, Messenger Staff Writer

The Aitkin County Sheriff’s department responded to a boating accident that occurred on the north end of Mille Lacs Lake at 3:06 a.m. Saturday, May 14.

John Finch, 29, of Elk River, his sister Heidi Finch, 23, of Champlin and their uncle, Richard Pierson Jr., 52, of Glenwood, were anchored in a 20-foot Crestliner right in front of their relative’s home on the north shore.

John Finch said the three went out at midnight. “We were not catching anything, but had a nibble. We thought we would stay out for a little while longer. Later, I was just about to pull in the anchor, and I heard a boat and thought it was awfully close. I turned around and looked up just as the boat smashed into us.”

Finch received minor injuries. According to Finch, his sister was transported to Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin where she was treated and released with contusions, seven stitches and a broken thumb. “Her arm is in a cast,” Finch said.

Pierson was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital. “He is in a lot of pain,” Finch said. “They (hospital staff) don’t know the extent of his injuries because he is bruised and swollen.”

St. Cloud Hospital has Pierson listed in fair condition as of Monday, May 17.

According to the Aitkin Sheriff’s Department, the boat that collided with Finch’s boat was a 17-foot Stingray runabout operated by Jason Sampson, 27, of White Bear Lake.

Sampson was arrested at the scene and booked into Aitkin County jail on charges of DWI and criminal vehicular operation.

Îssue date: May 19, 2004. ©Mille Lacs Messenger Inc.

Throw the book at him!

It always surprises me how many people stumble out of the bar at 11:50 and go out on opener, then either pass out in their boats or go in at 1:00-2:00 am just to say they did it.

……the boat that collided with Finch’s boat was a 17-foot Stingray runabout ….

Something tells me this boat did not have rod holders, if ya know what I mean….

Did the story say anything about if the boats had lights on?

I was down at Cast aways saturday night of opening evening. Watched 3 guys trying to put there boat in. Looked to me like they where way to drunk to be doing this and I wish I had a cell with to try and get someone out there to stop them. What a mess. Watched as they started by putting 2 tires on the dock and 2 on the ramp. This was the 1st attempt. 2nd attempt was stopped by the guy loading the boat on the other side of them as he was almost hit. This is when the driver of the truck got out and tryed to start a fight with them. What else was good about this was the 2 guys sitting in the boat as it was being backed shooting remarks at the driver. Non of the remarks helping the sitituation.
Now the boat is in and drunk #2 is trying to get the motor started. Motor is still trimmed up. Some one had to let him know this. Then the last I saw of them was as they where heading out of the harbor with no lights on.
What a mess.
Anyone ever tried to stop a drunk from going out on the lake? Guess I could of grabbed his keys when he was trying to pick a fight with the truck next to him.

I figure at night about 15 mph is fast enough, especially on nights like the opener, it was darker than the inside of a cow out there. Now in the fall with the full moon, it’s a different story, doesn’t mean I go any faster, just feel much safer.

Yup, no need to speed!
Suprizing there are’nt more night collisions.
Almost had my boat ran into by another boat while I was anchored leagally on Lake Osakis during dark. The A-whole was going about 50mph in one of those sparkly bass rockets. I had my nephew and his 5 year old son in the boat at that time. And i’m sure the 5 year old heard words he never heard before come out of my mouth as I was screaming at the top of my voice. If my son was with at the time with his hand gun, they would gotton our attention real quick with a couple of warning shots over there boat.

Guys,

My family and I were hit by another boat on opening day a few years ago. The story is very simular accept that it was the middle of the day. I was with my wife and my two daughters 6 and 11 at that time. We had just pulled our lines in and I turned to start the tiller and I could hear a boat comming that I thought was to close. I had just enough time to turn and see this boat hit the front corner of my boat were my daughter was sitting. The impact spun my boat 180 degrees and the boat that hit us drove right over the spot we were. Luck was with us that day and no one was hurt. I had made my children were there life jackets and boy I was thankfull for that. The three men who hit us had just come from the dock of a famous bar in Garrison. They did manage to stop. They claimed they were’nt drinking. I got there names and gave them a server A## chewing. I was sorry my kids had to learn I could get so upset. Over all it was trumatic experience for us all. I have been an angler my whole life and watched peoples boating habits get worse and worse. the speeds that boats are going now create an even bigger threat on the water. My family and I still fish but I am always on my guard now. No more quick naps in the boat when the fishing is slow for me.

Good Luck, Be safe
Mike Auer

I hope that the judge throws the book at them. We don’t even go out until first light of opener anymore. About 7 years ago a drunk backtrolled in and out of a bunch of boats and ran right over my dad’s lighted bobber. I heard my dad say a few new words and the guy just moved on.

I heard that two Pro V’s collided on Winni this opener. My boss witnessed the whole thing. A guy came flying through a pack of boat and he turned back to see everyone yelling at him. While he was turned, he smacked right into another boat. No one was hurt, but a lot of bent up metal.