Police investigating watercraft crash that killed father, son
New Jersey State Police on Sunday were investigating a crash of two personal watercraft that left a Maryland man and his 8-year-old son dead in Somers Point on Saturday afternoon.
New Jersey State Police on Sunday were investigating a crash of two personal watercraft that left a Maryland man and his 8-year-old son dead in Somers Point on Saturday afternoon.
The crash occurred around 4:45 p.m., when two watercraft collided in the Patcong Creek while rounding a sharp curve from opposite directions, police said.
Photos from the scene Saturday showed what appeared to be two damaged Jet Skis, but police on Sunday declined to specify the type of watercraft involved in the collision.
The father and son, who were not identified by police, were taken to Shore Medical Center in Somers Point and pronounced dead, police said. At the time of the collision, according to police, the father "was sitting behind his young son," although they did not explicitly say that the son was steering.
The driver of the other watercraft, a 55-year-old woman from Egg Harbor Township, suffered a wrist fracture in the collision, police said.
Authorities said it did not appear that alcohol was a factor. Investigators were instead looking at other potential contributing factors, such as the limited sight lines at the crash site, and the fact that the son was seated close to the steering and controls.
215-854-2817
@cs_palmer