May 27, 2014
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a personal injury boat accident that occurred on Bass Lake in Starke County. Amanda Marsh 26, of North Judson and Jeremy Hershman, 33 of Willets, CA were both injured while operating personal watercraft on the lake.
Hershman collided with Marsh, striking her watercraft at a right angle. Hershman and Marsh were both thrown into the water from each of their watercrafts. Marsh was able to right her personal watercraft, operating it back to shore. A boater in the area assisted Hershman onto a pontoon boat where he was transported to shore for treatment.
Starke County EMS treated Hershman and Marsh at the scene and later transported them to Starke Memorial in Knox for additional medical treatment. Marsh was treated and released for minor injuries. Hershman was stabilized and then transported to South Bend Memorial for treatment of fractured vertebrates, broken ribs, and fluid on the lungs. Both Hershman and Marsh were wearing personal floatation
devices at the time of the accident. The accident is still under investigation.
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an incident on Syracuse Lake which resulted in one person being arrested.
Around six o’clock Monday evening, Indiana Conservation Officers received a call from Syracuse Police regarding a sunken boat at the public access site on Syracuse Lake.
Johnathan Heckaman (33, Syracuse) was subsequently arrested after he sunk his own boat while attempting to put it on the trailer at the Syracuse Public Access Site. He faces charges of Boating While Intoxicated.
Indiana Conservation Officers would like to remind the public to use good sound judgment when out on the water this summer. Don’t drive drunk and wear a lifejacket.