Eagle Lake boater seriously injured
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
EAGLE LAKE — An early morning accident Aug. 27 left an Eagle Lake man in serious condition, when the water vessel he was operating struck a larger boat.
Photo courtesy of MWS
A BOATING ACCIDENT shortly after midnight Aug. 27 left Travis Toussaint, 22, of Eagle Lake, with serious injuries and destroyed two boats. Toussaint was charged with OUI and summonsed for operating a personal watercraft between sunset and sunrise.
“Maine Game Warden Chad Abbott of the Maine Warden Service reported that at approximately 12:30 a.m. Travis Toussaint, 22, of Eagle Lake, was operating his 1995 Polaris personal watercraft on Eagle Lake when he struck a 2002 20-foot pontoon boat, owned by Gary Thibodeau of St. Francis that was tied to a dock at the Loon’s Echo Campground on the Sly Brook Road,” said Edith Smith, director, information and education, MWS.
There were no occupants in the pontoon boat at the time of the incident.
“Toussaint suffered a significant knee injury to his right leg and a gash on his forehead. He was taken by ambulance to Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent and later transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor,” said Smith.
Speed, alcohol and limited visibility due to darkness were contributing factors in the accident.
“Toussaint was charged with operating a watercraft while under the influence and was also summonsed for operating a personal watercraft between sunset and sunrise,” said Smith.
Both watercraft are believed to be total losses. No additional information on Toussaint’s condition was available at presstime.
