Maryland Natural Resources Police Investigate Boat Fire That Claims Pennsylvania Man’s Life

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ELKTON  — On Tuesday, September 12, at 4:15 p.m. Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) responded to a tubing accident involving a personal watercraft (PWC) on the Elk River, south of Elkton.

A 16-year-old boy from Elkton was being towed on a tube by a PWC operated by Susan S. Archibald, 49, of Elkton when he collided with the floating pier located at 55 Knollwood Road. The youth was flown to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with serious injuries.

Maryland State Police, Cecil County EMS and Singerly Fire Company assisted NRP with the incident. The accident is under investigation and charges are pending.

NRP reminds boaters and persons operating personal watercraft that when towing an individual or individuals on water skis, aquaplanes, tubes or other similar devices you must keep at least 100 feet from the shore, wharfs, piers, pilings, jetties, bridge structures or abutments, individual or individuals in the water and other vessels at all times. You must also have an observer on the vessel that is at least 12 years old.

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September 13, 2006

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 280 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov