Throughout the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Division of Boating Safety deployed numerous resources onto the waterways across Mohave County, including Deputies, Rescue Divers, and River Medical Paramedics. Deputies observed a significant increase in boating traffic, and several water-related incidents kept them extremely busy.

Over the long weekend, Deputies responded to four boat crashes without injuries and one serious injury boat crash. They issued 38 citations and arrested one person for operating a watercraft under the influence, among other various arrests.

Incident Reports

Saturday (5/25): Single Vessel Crash on Lake Havasu
– Location: The North Basin, Lake Havasu
– Incident: A 30-foot Hallet boat with triple outboard motors and nine occupants was traveling at approximately 50 mph when it suddenly lost control.
– Outcome: Multiple occupants were ejected into the water, several with injuries. With assistance from River Medical Paramedics on MCSO patrol vessels, the injured were treated and stabilized on scene. Six injured occupants were transported to shore, and three were later flown to a Las Vegas Trauma Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
– Cause: Mechanical failure in the watercraft’s steering system. Alcohol was not a factor.

Sunday (5/26): Boat Fire at Lake Havasu State Park
– Location: North Launch Ramp, Lake Havasu State Park
– Incident: A 20-foot Hardin boat burst into flames after the operator started the engine shortly after pushing away from the docks.
– Outcome: The operator jumped into the water, escaping injury. The San Bernardino County Fire Boat extinguished the fire. Both the boat and courtesy docks sustained severe damage.

Sunday (5/26): Capsized Boat on the Colorado River
– Location: Near the I-40 bridge, Colorado River
– Incident: A 25-foot Avalon tritoon boat with 14 passengers completely capsized, ejecting all passengers into the water. Several became trapped under the boat but were rescued.
– Outcome: No injuries reported. The incident was caused by operator inexperience and improper weight distribution. Alcohol was not a factor.

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Division of Boating Safety remains committed to ensuring the safety of all waterway users and will continue to patrol and respond to incidents as needed.