Boat Propeller Causes Catastrophic Head Injuries to Boy
Two men are charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failing to render aid, and face an enhancement charge of causing great bodily injury. The driver’s charges include speeding and being under the influence. Labor Day weekend in September 2006, Dallen McIntyre, 11, was hit by a boat while knee-boarding behind his father’s personal watercraft. The father testified that the boat suddenly made a sharp turn and came toward them, knocking Dallen into the lake. The two men fled after hitting him. The impact with the propeller of the boat split the boy’s head and nearly killed him. He suffered catastrophic head injuries and has undergone several surgeries. An expert who manufactures propellers examined the propeller in question and determined that the damage was caused by the collision with the boy’s head. The examination concluded there were no scuff marks, chips or scratches, indications that the man’s boat propeller was responsible for the severe damage to Dallen. "The impact was great," the expert said, noting it was not easy to damage the propeller.
