Jetskier injured in crash

A 49-year-old man from Nevada was seriously hurt on Friday, July 24, when his personal watercraft collided with his friend's craft about 300 yards off City Beach.

According to police reports, Steven Clauson, of Henderson, Nev., was hanging on the side of his 2006 Honda jetski when emergency personnel arrived aboard the city's hovercraft.

Clauson was transported to North Valley Hospital with several broken ribs, a punctured lung and a ruptured spleen. His spleen was removed by hospital staff.

According to three eyewitnesses at City Beach, Clauson and his friend from Henderson, Chris Caluya, 45, were driving fast and close to the float line demarcating the swimming area, creating wakes and closely circling each other.

One eyewitness, who said he clearly heard the two watercraft collide, said a "young man" from the City Beach concession stand came over and warned the group of boaters that they were driving too fast and recklessly.

According to police, six people were taking turns on three personal watercraft they rented from Extreme Motorsports in Whitefish and had been in the water about an hour. The lease agreement specifies that the drivers were to stay 200 feet away from each other. Both craft suffered front-end damage but were still functional.

Clauson and Caluya were charged with reckless and negligent operation of a watercraft and face up to $500 and six months in jail. Police did not test for alcohol use.