A 13-year-old boy was driving when two teenagers were injured in a boating accident Saturday on Big Swan Lake in Meeker County.
Two teens injured in boating accident; 13-year-old driver's inexperience cited
The boat's driver was 13; his father was cited for allowing the boat to be illegally operated.
May 30, 2018 at 2:28AM
Authorities said that driver inexperience was a "major factor" in the incident.
The Sheriff's Office said a 911 call came in just before 1 p.m. Saturday. Investigators learned that the teen driving the boat was pulling people on a tube when the boat propeller lacerated two victims.
Alexander Pazahanick, 13, of Bloomington, was flown to HCMC in Minneapolis; he was in satisfactory condition Tuesday night. Ethan Favour, 16, of St. Louis Park was taken to Meeker Memorial Hospital with noncritical injuries.
The boat owner, Jeffrey Pazahanick, 41, of Bloomington, was cited for allowing the boat to be illegally operated, the Sheriff's Office said.
Minnesota boating laws and regulations say that youths 12 to 17 years old who want to operate a boat with an engine over 25 horsepower must have either a watercraft operator's permit or someone at least 21 years old on board within reach of the controls.
The governor said it may be 2027 or 2028 by the time the market catches up to demand.
