A 22-year-old man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a boat struck him while he was swimming in Muskoka District’s Skeleton Lake over the weekend.
The incident occurred just before 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, near Skeleton Lake Road 5 in Muskoka Lakes Township, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
First responders fielded multiple 911 calls from bystanders who reported that a boat had collided with a swimmer. Witnesses on shore managed to pull the injured man from the water before emergency crews arrived.
The victim, a resident of Georgina, Ont., was rushed to a local hospital before being airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma centre. Police describe his injuries as life-threatening.
Investigators later located and arrested the alleged operator of the vessel, 39-year-old Richard Moore of Niagara Falls, Ont., who now faces several serious charges, including impaired operation causing bodily harm, refusal to comply with breath demand – bodily harm, failing to stop at an accident resulting in bodily harm and failure to comply with a release order.
The accused was held in custody and was scheduled to appear in bail court on Sunday, July 20.
The OPP say the investigation is ongoing and is asking anyone with information to come forward.
