Girl's leg severed in boating accident

Published Date

LOVELL, Maine – A teenage girl's leg was severed in a boating accident on Kezar Lake Tuesday afternoon.
The following press release is from John MacDonald, of the Maine Warden Service:
At approximately 2:45 p.m. this afternoon, a boat carrying six family members crashed near a small island on the east side of Kezar Lake. Involved in the crash was a 13-year-old boy being towed on a tube, a 10-year-old boy in the rear of the boat, three teenage girls sitting in the bow (one age 13 and two 15-year-olds), and an adult driver. They were in a family-owned 24-foot Correct Craft inboard fiberglass motorboat. Driving the boat was 44-year-old Robert Mueller from Houston, Texas. Mueller was towing the boy when he struck a submerged rock barely visible from the surface.
Upon impact, all three female passengers in the bow were ejected, including Mueller's 15-year-old daughter Abby. The boat ran over Abby, severing her leg with the running propeller. Her leg became severed between her ankle and knee. Robert Mueller also received minor injuries during the impact when he was thrown toward the windshield. The girl was flown by LifeFlight to Massachusetts General Hospital. The boat sustained damage and took on water as it was driven to shore. The drive shaft guide bracket was damaged and allowed water to enter the hull.
The northwest side of the island was marked with five hazard buoys. The boat struck a rock inside the marked hazard area. It is not believed that alcohol was involved.
The 10-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl are Mueller's son and daughter. The 13-year-old boy on the tube and the other 15-year-old girl were brother and sister. They were cousins to those injured and are from Woodstock, Connecticut. They were all staying at a family camp on the lake.
Game Warden Sgt. Dave Chabot, and Wardens Neal Wykes and Kris Barboza investigated the crash. Assisting with today's boating crash were Kezar Lake Marina, Stoneham Rescue, Fryeburg Rescue, Lovell Fire & Rescue and and LifeFlight. This crash remains under investigation.