UPDATE 7/24/23:
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — A boat crashed onto the Lake of the Ozarks shore and hit a house late Saturday night. The driver of the boat was arrested for operating a boat under the influence. Missouri State Highway Patrol believes alcohol and speed were likely factors in the crash.
“A lot of people get confused and then they get confused on the landmasses as well,” said Captain Travis Coleman with Tow Boat US. “So, this is a unique navigational challenge, if you will, at night.”
Tow Boat US towed the boat involved in Saturday’s crash. The company keeps busy during the summer towing boats that end up out of the water.
“There’s several of these points. You know, the topographies were very gentle and extreme, you know, extends out into the lake aways and people find them,” said Coleman.
The Highway Patrol crash reports said the boat hit the shore, then crashed into the house. The boat overturned and all eight people were ejected. Some were left with serious injuries and others with moderate.
“But the majority of the time those crashes are a result of people going too fast,” said Corporal Kyle Green with the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “Being impaired by drugs or alcohol and just not paying attention.”
Neighbor Ethan Lee says he’s surprised a crash on this shore hasn’t happened sooner.
“It’s very hard to see that point out there. There’s no lights and you don’t really see it till you get right up on it,” Lee said. “So, if you’re going fairly quick, it can come up on you pretty quick and you just wouldn’t even won’t even know it till it’s too late.”
Highway Patrol encourages boaters to be aware of their surroundings, especially when hitting the water at night.
“We always encourage people to have a sober driver on a boat. You know, navigating the waters at Lake of the Ozarks is already difficult just with the amount of boat traffic that is down there and then just with the layout of the lake itself,” Corporal Green said. “But when you combine those things and then you also make it difficult to see during the nighttime, you know, it’s kind of a recipe for disaster.”
Original article, published July 24, 2023:
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — Eight people were injured late Saturday night when a boat crashed into a house onshore.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash happened just before midnight on July 22 when a 2014 Nortech boat ran aground near the 1.3-mile mark of the Osage Arm. The vessel crashed into a house and ejected all eight passengers.
The passengers were taken to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment. Six of the eight passengers are in serious condition, while two have moderate injuries. MSHP’s crash report did not say whether anyone inside the home was injured.
MSHP arrest records show the boat driver was arrested at 12:50 a.m. on July 23 but was released for medical treatment. Charges against are pending at this time.