Powerboat owner arrested for hit-and-run crash on Fox River
OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) - The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office says it arrested a 52-year-old Oshkosh man for Saturday night’s hit-and-run boat crash on the Fox River.
Link to video and Pictures: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime...ver/ar-AAZvkpu
The sheriff’s office identified the owner and operator of the boat as Jason Lindemann. He was arrested on 12 counts of recklessly endangering safety and 11 counts of failure to render aid after a boating accident. Recklessly endangering safety is a felony, with each count carrying up to 10 years in prison. Failing to render aid is a misdemeanor.
In announcing the arrest, the sheriff’s office wrote, “This investigation was certainly hindered and needlessly prolonged by the fact the powerboat fled the scene and made no attempts to report their involvement the night of the crash or in the hours that followed.”
The sheriff’s office says several agencies helped to search boat landings and nearby homes to find the powerboat along with its owner and passengers. They followed up on numerous tips from the community.
Investigators are still trying to identify two people who were on the powerboat. Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (920) 236-7316.
A social media post dated June 10, that’s since been deleted, shows off pictures of a new 45 NorTech that Lindemann just bought and identifies Lindemann as the owner of the Sweetwater Performance Center Marine and Dockside Tavern. We reached out to those businesses, but no one wanted to talk.
Investigators, too, have declined to comment on-camera. Once the criminal complaint is filed and Lindemann appears in court, we should know a lot more about what unfolded.
Earlier, we talked with a woman who was on the paddlewheel boat cruise when it was hit.
Becky Meissner and her husband were on the boat Saturday night celebrating a friend’s birthday. She tells us the “On the Loos Cruise” paddlewheel boat was approaching The Ground Round at the end of its evening trip to dock when it was hit.
Meissner said she and her husband were on the top level of the boat when her husband saw the 45-foot powerboat approaching. “When we came up to the Oregon Street bridge and we turned around, and my husband said, ‘I don’t think that boat is slowing down,’ and all of a sudden I couldn’t help but just stare, and then that’s when the boat hit the paddleboat.”
And almost immediately they felt the impact of the collision. The powerboat struck the port side of the paddlewheel boat, causing significant damage.
“It sideswiped us,” Meissner described. “At the last minute it must have seen us or realized how close it was and then it turned thankfully so that it hit just the corner of the port side instead of coming straight into the boat.”
The party cruiser rocked back and forth.
“I don’t know about the inside bar or bathroom area, but a lot of glass shattered. I know they took one part of the railing off of the port side, so definitely a lot of damage to the paddle boat.”
Meissner said the operator of the powerboat stopped momentarily before turning the boat’s lights off and driving away.
While the paddlewheel boat was able to get to shore, and the 43 passengers and crew members were able to get off the boat, Meissner said there was definitely some panic among everyone. Some were in shock over what happened. One person was taken to the hospital while a half dozen were treated at the scene.
“Lot of bruises, lot of scrapes, lot of jarring around, but other than that I think now for everyone it’s just the anxiety of what happened and we still haven’t gotten the result of what we’re looking for yet,” said Meissner.
Meissner wants answers, and she wants the driver of the hit-and-run boat held accountable for what happened.
Earlier, we talked with a woman who was on the paddlewheel boat cruise when it was hit.
Becky Meissner and her husband were on the boat Saturday night celebrating a friend’s birthday. She tells us the “On the Loos Cruise” paddlewheel boat was approaching The Ground Round at the end of its evening trip to dock when it was hit.
Meissner said she and her husband were on the top level of the boat when her husband saw the 45-foot powerboat approaching. “When we came up to the Oregon Street bridge and we turned around, and my husband said, ‘I don’t think that boat is slowing down,’ and all of a sudden I couldn’t help but just stare, and then that’s when the boat hit the paddleboat.”
And almost immediately they felt the impact of the collision. The powerboat struck the port side of the paddlewheel boat, causing significant damage.
“It sideswiped us,” Meissner described. “At the last minute it must have seen us or realized how close it was and then it turned thankfully so that it hit just the corner of the port side instead of coming straight into the boat.”
The party cruiser rocked back and forth.
“I don’t know about the inside bar or bathroom area, but a lot of glass shattered. I know they took one part of the railing off of the port side, so definitely a lot of damage to the paddle boat.”
Meissner said the operator of the powerboat stopped momentarily before turning the boat’s lights off and driving away.
While the paddlewheel boat was able to get to shore, and the 43 passengers and crew members were able to get off the boat, Meissner said there was definitely some panic among everyone. Some were in shock over what happened. One person was taken to the hospital while a half dozen were treated at the scene.
“Lot of bruises, lot of scrapes, lot of jarring around, but other than that I think now for everyone it’s just the anxiety of what happened and we still haven’t gotten the result of what we’re looking for yet,” said Meissner.
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