Press Release
On 7-7-2020 at 11:31am the Barron County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call of several people in the water and a boat out of control on Prairie Lake just outside Chetek.
Initial investigation shows that 2 adults and 3 kids were tubing on the water; dad and 2 kids in the boat and mom and 1 kid on the tube. The boat had a tiller motor. The boat struck a series of waves which caused the dad and one kid to be thrown overboard. The kid remaining in the boat jumped out as he was scared. The boat did strike one of the kids but he did not require any medical attention.
Everyone in the water was picked up by a passerby and taken to shore and all refused medical treatment. The Barron County Recreation Deputy went out in a patrol boat and used a rope to jam up the propeller to get the boat to stop. The deputy then gained control of the boat and brought it to shore. Everyone is extremely lucky and this is an example why everyone needs to wear a life jacket.
Assisting the Sheriff’s Department was the Chetek Fire, Chetek Ambulance and WI DNR.
No enforcement action will be taken and the ages of the kids ranged from 2-13.
- Per Chris Fitzgerald, Barron County Sheriff
Last Update: Jul 07, 2020 3:09 pm CDT
