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Man pulls 3 teens from water after they hit a tree
Three kids were thrown into the water at a lake in Lake County after their personal watercraft (PWC) hit a tree, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said. A nearby boater saw the kids in the water and went over to help, pulling each of them out, and bringing them to shore.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - Three children are recovering after a jet ski crashed into a tree on a Lake County lake, throwing all three riders into the water, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The crash happened on Tuesday, June 2 at Lake Hiawatha in Lake County.
A nearby boater spotted the aftermath and rushed to help. Rich Charleston is credited with pulling the teens to safety before emergency crews arrived.
What they're saying:
Rich Charleston said he and his family were returning home by boat after dinner when they noticed people on shore waving for help.
"As we got closer, I saw the jet ski at the base of a tree and three kids in the water," Charleston said.
Rich Charleston
At first, Charleston believed the teens were stranded in shallow water. But when he approached the scene, he realized the severity of the crash.
"That's when I saw the giant tree trunk and the front of the jet ski destroyed," he said.
FWC investigators said the jet ski struck the tree, ejecting all three teens into the lake.
Charleston, a former firefighter, said one of the teens appeared seriously injured and was drifting in and out of consciousness while the others tried to keep the teen's head above water.
Lake Hiawatha in Lake County.
He jumped into action, helping move the injured teen onto his boat and assisting the others until first responders arrived.
Two of the teens were transported to a hospital. Charleston said one was later released with a broken leg, while another remains hospitalized but continues to improve.
Looking back, Charleston believes arriving within minutes of the crash may have made a critical difference.
"A lot of that time was crucial," he said. "It could have had a different outcome."
What's next:
FWC continues to investigate the cause of the crash.
The Source: The information is from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.