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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-boatcrash3106jul31,0,7751916.story?coll=orl-home-headlines 3 critically injured in east Orange boat crash
Jeannette Rivera-Lyles
Sentinel Staff Writer
July 31, 2006
A speedboat ride early Sunday turned into tragedy for six people when their vessel crashed into a dock, critically injuring three of the occupants.
The crash happened shortly before 5 a.m. at Lake Irma, off north Econlockhatchee Trail in east Orange County.
Authorities did not release the boaters' names and said only that there were five males and one female in the group.
Two of the three critically injured boaters were flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center. The third was flown to Florida Hospital East. The three others were taken to area hospitals for treatment. Their injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening, Orange County sheriff's spokeswoman Barbara Miller said.
Ray and Marge Westerman, whose house is near the dock, were awakened by the crash.
"It sounded like the shuttle taking off," Marge Westerman said. "It scared us to death."
Minutes later, they heard frantic knocking on their door. Ray Westerman looked through a window and saw a soaking wet young man screaming for help. Marge Westerman called 911.
"He was saying, 'Help us, help us. Please help us,' " Marge Westerman said.
The man then collapsed on the Westermans' front lawn.
Ray Westerman ran to the lake but said he couldn't do much. After crashing into the dock, the boat was floating away with the people in it.
Paramedics and deputies arrived within a couple of minutes, the Westermans said, and jumped into the water to rescue the group.
"It took them a long time to get them out," Ray Westerman said. "They all looked very young. Eighteen to 21, I'd say. And they were all out, unconscious."
Miller said in a news release that alcohol is thought to have been involved in the crash.
"But it could take weeks for this investigation to be completed," she said. }
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