A 15-year-old boy was seriously injured after the personal watercraft he was operating collided with a boat on the Colorado River Sunday afternoon.
The crash at about 5:40 p.m. occurred near Needles Marina, just south of the Needles Bridge, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The teen was headed south on the river when he “turned in front of” the boat, and “both operators were unable to avoid the collision,” the release said.
The boy was airlifted to a nearby hospital to be treated for “major injuries,” authorities said.
The boat operator was uninjured, and alcohol was not “a contributing factor to the collision,” deputies said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective B. Abell at 760-326-9200.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the WeTip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or visit wetip.com.