(Photo provided)
SYRACUSE — Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating what caused a boat to sink on a Lake Wawasee this evening.
Around quarter after seven this evening, Indiana Conservation Officers responded to a boat sinking with multiple people in the water.
The lake patrol witnessed a boat speeding across Lake Wawasee, which is under an idle speed restriction. According to witnesses the boat was sitting very low in the water and traveling at a high rate of speed. A Kosciusko County Sheriff Lake Patrol Officer attempted to stop the speeding boat.
The operator of the boat, Adam Wenger, 22, Goshen, brought the boat to an abrupt stop. When he did water came over the bow of the overloaded watercraft. The operator then attempted to accelerate which forced more water into the boat, throwing one of the occupants overboard, and completely swamping the boat. The boat then capsized and quickly sank. ICOs arrived and helped the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Lake Patrol rescue seven people from the water.
Of the seven occupants only one was wearing a US Coast Guard Approved Personal Floatation Device. The operator was arrested for Operating a Motorboat While Intoxicated (nearly three times the legal limit of .08). One other occupant, Hayden Schmucker (20, Goshen), faces charges of Minor Possession/Consumption of Alcohol. No one was injured or drown thanks to the quick rescue by Kosciusko County Sheriff Lake Patrol Officer Ken Troutman and Indiana Conservation Officers Boyd and Whitehead.
Indiana Conservation Officers remind the public to never drive a boat under the influence of alcohol and to wear a life jacket anytime you are on or near the water.
All suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.