Sea-Doo operator charged with carelessness

Westside Weekly

A West Kelowna man has been charged following a reckless Sea-Doo incident this past summer.

On July 6, 2017, West Kelowna RCMP responded to multiple reports involving a group of Sea-Doo operators who were allegedly driving in a dangerous manner on Okanagan Lake.

At the time, police said the Sea-Doo operators performed a “power slide” around a boat on the lake, swamping the boat and knocking a two-year-old child into the water.

“Thankfully, the couple said their child was wearing a life jacket at the time and was surprisingly unharmed during what was likely a frightening ordeal for that toddler,” said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey.

A second report came in that day from another boat operator who told police four SeaDoo operators were “ripping around on the water” extremely close to his boat, swamping his boat with water.

One of the jets skis also hit his boat, he said.

Police believed the jet skis were rented from a local company, and an investigation revealed from which company they were rented from and later returned to, said O’Donaghey.

“Anonymous tip information from the public also aided in the development and eventual conclusion of the police investigation,” he said.

The jet ski operator police believe to be primarily responsible in this case has been identified.

The 27-year-old West Kelowna man has now been charged with operating a vessel in a careless manner, which carries a fine of $402 and failing to give his information to the operator of the boat he hit, which carries a fine of $287.52.