The parents of 10-year-old Jack Gear have reached a mediated settlement with the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, according to the family’s attorney. Gear was fatally injured in a jet ski collision on Old Hickory Lake in July 2024, and his parents had filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking $10 million.
An attorney for the Gear family told WSMV that the case was resolved in mediation, with the settlement amount kept confidential. According to the station, the Boy Scouts agreed to pay court costs as part of the deal. The attorney added that, even with the resolution, “nothing will replace the hole in the hearts of Jack’s parents.”
How the Crash Unfolded on Old Hickory Lake
The collision happened on July 16, 2024, when two personal watercraft collided near the Boxwell Reservation during a Tennessee National Guard youth program, leaving Gear critically injured, according to The Tennessean. Hoodline previously reported on Gear’s death earlier in 2024, chronicling the initial response and the outpouring of grief from the community.
In their civil complaint, Gear’s parents accused camp staffers and the council of negligence and reckless conduct. The lawsuit claimed that one of the personal watercraft was being operated at a high rate of speed and argued that safety protocols at the camp fell short of what was needed to protect children on the water.
Criminal Pleas and Courtroom Fallout
While the civil case moved forward, criminal charges were filed as well. Two former camp staffers were indicted and, in mid-2025, entered guilty pleas to felony reckless homicide, receiving two-year suspended sentences under plea agreements, NewsChannel 5 reported.
Prosecutors and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said the collision involved Boxwell-owned watercraft that were being operated by staff members at the time of the crash. The pleas left both men with felony convictions but no active prison time, a result that drew close scrutiny from some in the community.
What the Settlement Means for the Family and the Council
The newly announced settlement brings the Gear family’s civil lawsuit to a close, according to public records and media reporting. It does not change the criminal pleas or the court-ordered conditions that came out of those separate cases. WSMV notes that while the settlement terms remain undisclosed, the Boy Scouts agreed to cover court costs.
Attorneys for the family have cast the agreement as a limited measure of closure in the wake of an irreplaceable loss. Camp officials have previously said they would cooperate with investigations, and as local leaders and scouting officials revisit youth programming and safety protocols, many in the community are still pushing for stronger safeguards around aquatic activities so that a day on Old Hickory Lake does not turn tragic again.
