FROM TODAY'S ROCKPORT PILOT
Man loses arm in boating accident
By: NORMA MARTINEZ, Managing Editor
Published:
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 12:20 AM CDT
A Seguin husband and wife are both in intensive care in Spohn Memorial Hospital after suffering severe injuries in a boating accident Saturday, July 17 in Aransas Bay.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Brandi Reeder, Mark Westerholm’s left arm was severed at the shoulder. His wife Sharon suffered gashes almost to the bone on her right thigh and to her right arm near the wrist.
Reeder explained the Westerholms and another couple were on the boat when the incident occurred. The driver apparently lost control and the boat turned 180 degrees. The three passengers were ejected, and the two Westerholms were run over by the boat. The other male, because of where he was standing in the boat, was fortunately thrown farther forward and was not hit.
The Westerholms and the other couple had launched at Goose Island State Park and were headed back that direction when the accident took place.
Fishing guide Timothy Rowe and his wife Janet happened to be 300 to 500 yards behind the aforementioned vessel and saw the entire incident.
The driver of the boat quickly shut off the engine as the Rowes pulled up to help get the Westerholms out of the water.
J. Rowe then rendered aid and used bungee cords as tourniquets to cut off the bleeding at Mark’s shoulder. She then used towels to apply direct pressure to Sharon’s wounds. Sharon was transferred to the Rowe’s vessel, and Mark was kept on the other boat because they did not want to move him again.
Both boats then returned to Goose Island, by which time EMS had already been called. Reeder said she arrived about the same time as paramedics and HALO-Flight was there within five minutes.
The Westerholms were taken in separate helicopters toSpohn Memorial Hospital. As of press deadline Monday, both were still in ICU in stable condition, but more surgeries are expected.
Reeder also pointed out she always advises boaters when operating a vessel, they should wear a lanyard with a kill switch to help prevent accidents. In this case, she acknowledged it’s difficult to determine if it would have made a difference because this driver was not thrown from the vessel.
However, she emphasized in 50 percent, if not 70 percent, of cases, wearing a kill switch lanyard prevents major injury and death.