Labor Day Weekend is here, and that means another high traffic
boating weekend on Lake Cumberland.
During this last holiday weekend of the summer season, Water Patrol
Officers will be out enforcing laws and observing for boaters under
the influence.
Locally, it's been a busy August for Conserva-tion Officers. Last
week alone, an "on water" pursuit earlier in the summer led to an
indictment in Russell Circuit Court, a boating accident claimed the
life of an Ohio man, and Conservation Officers from across the state,
including two officers from Lake Cumberland took part in
reinforcement efforts during the Solar Eclipse in western Kentucky.
There were also thirteen arrests during Raft Up the first weekend of
August, with two individuals charged for trafficking in cocaine.
On Tuesday, August 22, the Russell County Grand Jury met and handed
down an indictment against 25 year old Kyle Matthews of Alpha
regarding a June 24 incident on Lake Cumberland.
Matthews was indicted on eight counts of wanton endangerment,
including one count of using his boat to strike a patrol boat being
operated by Conservation Officer Wayne Wilson.
He was also indicted on charges of fleeing or evading police first
degree, boating under the influence, operating a boat in a reckless
manner, two counts of failure to operate a boat at idle speed,
failure to render aid, changing course abruptly, failure to keep
right of middle of channel and resisting arrest.
Matthews allegedly posted the high-speed boat chase on social media,
failed to observe a no wake zone, met four other boats head on, then
took off at a high speed, prompting the pursuit by Officer Wilson
before he was apprehended and taken into custody.
Matthews was lodged in the Russell County Detention Center, where
has since remained on a $10,000 cash or $20,000 dollar property bond
and home incarceration stipulation.
On Monday, August 21 around 6 p.m., Fish and Wildlife officers and
the Russell County Coroner's Office conducted a joint investigation
of a fatal boating accident on Lake Cumberland that claimed the life
of 70 year old Kenneth Ducklo of Hamilton, Ohio.
Officer Wilson who assisted at the scene, said Ducklo hit the
shoreline with his vessel near Campbell's Landing in Russell County.
Ducklo's body was sent to the State Medical Examiners Office for an
autopsy and Russell County Coroner Mike Reynolds said the preliminary
cause of death appeared to be blunt force trauma as a result of the
accident.
The Monticello-Wayne County 911 Communications Center initially
received the call of the boat hitting a bluff South of Camp Earl
Wallace, then notified State Police at Columbia, who in turn
dispatched Water Patrol.
On Monday, August 21, the solar eclipse brought about a worldwide
presence in Hopkinsville and surrounding areas. The Kentucky
Department of Fish and Wildlife sent officers across the state west
on the weekend prior to the event for reinforcement purposes.
Two officers from Lake Cumberland took part in routine patrol work
on the waterways of Western Kentucky in an effort to help Law
Enforcement and Conservation Water Patrol Officers there with their
excessive amount of visitors and traffic on the water due to the
eclipse.
On Saturday, August 5 during Raft Up 2017 on Lake Cumberland, Water
Patrol Officers arrested thirteen individuals on a variety of
charges, including trafficking in cocaine, boating under the
influence and alcohol intoxication.
Conservation Officer Wayne Wilson arrested 21 year old Marcus
Ferguson, of Alexandria, Ky., for trafficking in a controlled
substance (cocaine) first degree, public intoxication controlled
substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wilson also arrested
42 year old Kevin Austin, of Melbourne, Ky., for trafficking in a
controlled substance (cocaine), 22 year old Nicholas Sininger, of
Lexington, Ky., for boating under the influence, violations relating
to personal watercraft, possession of marijuana and no life jacket,
and 57 year old Keith McGonigle, of Gattoway, Ohio, for operating an
overloaded motorboat, boating under the influence, possession of
marijuana and controlled substance prescription not in proper container.
Officers King, Alley, Hall and Carney made the following arrests: 21
year old Derek Bernard, of Springsboro, Oh., for alcohol intoxication
in a public place; 21 year old Christian Strack, of Somerset, Ky.,
for mooring in a navigational buoy; 48 year old Sherri Szymirk, of
Cincinnati, Ohio, for alcohol intoxication in a public place; 24 year
old Tyler Hunt, of Demossville, Ky., for alcohol intoxication in
public place; 35 year old Melanie Wade, of Franklin, Oh., for
alcohol intoxication in a public place; 57 year old Jack Roush, of
Middletown Road, Oh., for boating under the influence; 23 year old
Lindsey Pasquale, of Cincinnati, Oh., for alcohol intoxication in a
public place; 21 year old Dakota Carrender, of Somerset, Ky., for
boating under the influence; and 28 year old Michael Lewis, of New
Buffalo, Mich., for alcohol intoxication in a public place.
All 13 individuals were lodged in the Wayne County Detention Center.
The trafficking in cocaine case against Marcus Ferguson has
already been waived to the Wayne County Grand Jury. A preliminary
hearing was held for Ferguson on August 14 and he was released August
19 from Wayne County Detention Center after posting a $5,000 cash bond.
An arraignment for Kevin Austin for trafficking in cocaine is set
for September 11 and that case is also expected to be waived to the
Grand Jury. Austin was released from jail August 6, after posting a
$5,000 cash bond. Court proceedings have also been scheduled for 11
others charged and arrested during Raft Up in Wayne District Court.
As we're only days away from your last holiday weekend of the
summer—and with Poker Run coming up September 8 and 9 —make "safety"
top priority. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Officers ask
that you be a safe boater this Labor Day Weekend—wear your life
jacket and don't boat impaired.
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