A man and a child were seriously injured following a collision involving a jet ski and a bass boat at J. Percy Priest Lake in Rutherford County, as reported by local agencies last weekend. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. on Saturday, near Bryant Grove, with witnesses playing a critical role in the immediate aftermath. According to WKRN, those on the scene acted swiftly to assist the victims and transported them to a nearby boat ramp, where they were subsequently airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for serious injuries.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency identified the injured parties as 36-year-old Nathaniel Greene and a 4-year-old child, both of whom had been on a Sea-Doo watercraft when the crash happened. The operator of the Skeeter bass boat involved in the accident reportedly sustained no injuries, as detailed in a report by Fox17 Nashville. It was noted by authorities that, everyone involved was wearing personal floatation devices at the time of the collision.
The child involved in the crash was discharged on the following day, while Greene's condition has been declared stable. While the investigation into the crash remains ongoing, TWRA officials have expressed that, at this stage, neither alcohol nor drugs are believed to be contributing factors. Clay Hetland, a TWRA District 21 Boating Officer, emphasized the perilous nature of watercraft activities in an interview, stating to WSMV4, "Every single year Percy Priest usually leads the state in serious injury or fatality boating incidents."
In reflecting on the conversations with witnesses, and lake-goers, a certain melancholy grips the community, knowing full well the joy of the lake is mirrored by its potential for tragedy. "While we’re sitting here, we just hear a big crash," recounted one eyewitness to WSMV4. This incident comes in the wake of four deadly boating incidents on Percy Priest Reservoir in 2022, and as summer beckons, the hopes for a season free of mishap weigh heavy on the minds of those who patrol and play on these waters.
