TANEY COUNTY, Mo. — A 15-year-old girl from O'Fallon, Missouri, died after being struck by a boat while swimming in Table Rock Lake Sunday.
According to a report from the Missouri Highway Patrol, another swimmer, a 16-year-old boy from Ballwin, also suffered minor injuries.
When Al Pulis saw the water patrol boats from his deck, he knew something was wrong.
"The lights continued to flash for well over an hour. That's when I began to feel like there probably was a tragedy, and someone may have drowned. It wasn't your normal stop for some kind of boating violation," he said. "I knew something terrible happened."
Investigators say the crash happened at 4:15 p.m. Sunday when the driver of the boat, a 62-year-old man also from O'Fallon, Missouri, struck the teens and then ran into a rocky bluff at an area known as Breezy Point.
"It's got to be the most popular spot on Table Rock to take your boat over, let kids hop out, climb up, and jump off the other side," Pulis said of the area. "There can be 20, 30, 40 people over there, easy, at a given time. And maybe 15 boats."
Pulis said he often uses caution in navigating his own boat through the area because of the crowd.
The 15-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Her identity has not been released.
Investigators said they performed a breathalyzer on the driver though did not release the results.
Looking out towards Breezy Point Monday, Pulis notes that the crowds are gone.
"Everyone seems to know there's a sadness upon our hearts," he said, adding "we're sorry that's happened to a family."
This is a developing story. Information will be updated when it is confirmed.
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