On July 8, 2023, at approximately 4:42 p.m., the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a watercraft accident on Watab Lake in St. Wendel Township. The caller reported two juveniles were injured while riding on a tube behind a jet ski. The operator of the jet ski was identified as Ryan James Willis, 42, of St. Joseph. The jet ski was reported to be operating close to shore when the tube struck a dock. Two juveniles were injured in the incident. One juvenile was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital by Mayo Ambulance for non-life-threatening injuries. The second juvenile was flown by North Air to the Childrens Hospital for serious injuries.
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the St. Joseph Fire and Rescue, the St. Joseph Police Department, Mayo Ambulance, and North Air Ambulance. The case is under investigation and alcohol is believed to be a factor.
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