A 31-year-old man from Advance, Missouri was seriously injured Thursday afternoon when a passing boat struck him while he was swimming underwater in the Black River, then sped off without stopping. The hit-and-run happened about two miles south of Lesterville in Reynolds County at roughly 3:30 p.m., and the victim was airlifted to a St. Louis-area hospital for treatment.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the vessel was traveling southbound when it struck the man, according to the agency's official incident report cited by First Alert 4. Troopers confirmed the man was medevaced via Air Evac to SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital following the crash. As of the report, the patrol says it has no available description of the fleeing watercraft or its operator, leaving investigators reliant on witnesses who may have seen a southbound boat in the area at the time.
Troop G Leads the Investigation
Sgt. J. R. Roberts of the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Troop G is investigating the crash, per the patrol's incident report. Troop G, headquartered in Willow Springs, oversees water patrol and highway operations across nine counties in South Central and Southeast Missouri, including Reynolds County. Because the victim was underwater when he was struck, identifying the boat or its driver without eyewitness help remains a significant challenge for investigators.
Missouri law places clear obligations on boaters involved in any collision. State statute requires an operator involved in a crash to immediately stop, render aid if it's safe to do so, and provide identifying information such as a name, address, driver's license number, and vessel registration to anyone injured or to law enforcement. The same law generally requires that any boating accident causing injury, death, or more than $2,000 in property damage be reported in writing to the patrol within 48 hours.
Felony Exposure for the Fleeing Operator
Whoever was piloting the boat that struck the swimmer now faces potential felony charges once identified. Under Missouri Revised Statute § 577.060, leaving the scene of a vessel accident that causes physical injury is classified as a Class E felony. Separately, state law requires boaters to exercise the highest degree of care and to slow to idle or no-wake speed near docks, piers, and occupied anchored vessels — a standard that could bear on any negligence findings once the operator is located.
The stretch of the Black River near Lesterville has drawn heavy scrutiny in 2026 already. Just six weeks before this crash, the river experienced catastrophic flash flooding in July that triggered a statewide emergency declaration and forced state troopers and the National Guard into extensive swift-water rescues, according to footage relayed by St. Louis Public Radio. The area was still in the process of welcoming back summer floaters and swimmers when the hit-and-run occurred.
A Dangerous Year on Missouri Waterways
The incident also lands amid a troubling statewide pattern. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported in August that drowning deaths and water safety incidents across Missouri waterways were up 80% compared to previous levels for the year, according to a report relayed by Joplin News First. That figure underscores why patrol officials are treating incidents like this one as part of a broader public-safety concern on the state's rivers and lakes this summer.
Investigators are continuing to appeal for information from anyone who may have seen a southbound watercraft on the Black River near Lesterville around the time of the crash. No description of the vessel or its operator has been released. The condition of the 31-year-old victim following his transport to SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital was not detailed in the patrol's report.
