California Teenager Killed in Jet-Ski vs. PWC Collision
Saturday morning, Lauren Taguchi, 17, of Northridge was killed when her jet-ski collided with another personal watercraft on the Colorado River in Riverside County.
Ms. Taguchi died after her jet-ski struck the other personal water craft head on. The other operator, Ricky Scott Ledford of Las Vegas, helped Ms. Taguchi to a boat ramp where first responders performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. She was taken to Palo Verde Hospital where she later died of her injuries.
Jet-ski accidents are unfortunately fairly common and typically very serious. California has yet to require operators to obtain licenses to operate jet-skis and, although it is unknown whether inexperience was a factor in this case, the number one cause of jet-ski accidents is operator error due to inexperience.
Our prayers go out to Ms. Taguchi's family and we hope that the California legislature looks to this case as yet another example of why jet-ski operating licensing is necessary.
