Bellingham jet skier injured in Moses Lake crash suspected of boating under influence
A Bellingham man was seriously injured in a collision between a pair of jet skis Saturday, June 29, near the south end of Moses Lake. The injured jet skier was believed to have been boating under the influence, according to social media posts by the Grant County Sheriff.
A story published on the incident by fiberone.com, a Columbia Basin media website, said the sheriff’s office identified the injured jet skier as Brent Berends.
The sheriff’s social media posts said Berends was taken to a Spokane hospital “with serious injuries.”
The other jet skier, who also was from Bellingham, was not injured, according to the posts.
“Never boat under the influence,” the posts warned.
According to U.S. Coast Guard recreational boating statistics from 2017, Washington state had 109 boating crashes that resulted in 15 deaths, 51 injuries and more than $1.4 million in damage. According to the report, alcohol used was a contributing factor in nine of the total crashes (8.3%) in 2017, including 33.3% (five crashes) of the fatal incidents.
This story was originally published July 1, 2019 at 11:22 AM.
