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A second individual has been cited in connection with a jet ski accident that occurred on May 29, 2024 near Turner’s Marina in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) released the accident report this week. It indicated three teenagers were involved in the incident, which occurred in front of the Windmill Harbor in the Calibogue Sound. One of the teens has been charged with negligent operation of a watercraft after the crash sent another teen to the hospital with a broken femur.
Arihant Patel, an 18-year-old from Duncan, S.C., was injured when a jet ski operated by Het Patel – a 19-year-old from Spartanburg, S.C. – collided with a second rented jet ski operated by a 17-year-old whose name was redacted from SCDNR’s report.
“Arihant was the backseat passenger and when the vessel he was on was struck the bow hit him in the leg,” the report stated. “Arihant’s femur was broken and after being admitted to the hospital surgery was performed to correct damage.”
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The accident occurred at approximately 3:45 pm EDT – resulting in approximately $7,000 worth of damage to the jet skis.
The watercraft involved in the accident were rented from Sea Monkey Watersports, a company owned by Neil Turner. As our regular audience is well aware, Turner also owns Lowcountry Ferry, which was controversially awarded a contract by Beaufort County to handle its ferry service to Daufuskie Island.
As previously reported, Turner was charged with a watercraft violation on June 7, 2024 after SCDNR officials stated he failed to report the accident as required. According to Beaufort County court records, Turner paid a fine of $1087.50. The case was disposed of June 25, 2024 by judge Erin Gentry Vaux.
Sources on the scene of the accident provided FITSNews with video footage of an individual being loaded into the back of a pickup on May 29, 2024. These individuals alleged that emergency medical services were not called to respond to the accident – and the accident was not reported to the required authorities – purportedly in an attempt to avoid bad publicity.
The SCDNR report does not address the watercraft owner’s failure to report the accident or the alleged use of a pickup truck to transport the injured minor to the hospital.
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THE INCIDENT REPORT …
(SCDNR)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Callie Lyons is a relentless investigative journalist, researcher, and author known for exposing hard truths with heart and precision. As a journalist for FITSNews, she dives into high-profile and murky cases—like that of Mica Francis Miller— with fearless resolve and a sharp eye for detail, whether it’s tracking white-collar crime, uncovering religious abuse, or examining the often-bizarre behavior of those who believe they’re above the law.
Callie made waves with her groundbreaking 2007 book Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal, the first to reveal the dangers of forever chemicals, a story that helped inspire the film Dark Waters and influenced global scientific dialogue. Her work has appeared in numerous documentaries, including Toxic Soup, National Geographic’s Parched: Toxic Waters, and more recently Citizen Sleuth, which examines the complexities of true crime podcasting.
Whether she’s navigating environmental disasters or the darker corners of society, Lyons operates with one guiding belief: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”
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