Willmar boy injured when struck by pontoon
LAKE LILLIAN -- An eight-year old boy from Willmar was airlifted to North Memorial Medical Center Saturday afternoon with a head injury after being struck by a pontoon as he was knee-boarding with his family on the south shore of Big Kandiyohi Lake.
Because the incident is still under investigation, the name of the victim has not been released.
According to a press release from the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Department, the boy was on a knee board and was being pulled out into the lake behind a 1984 fishing boat that was driven by the boy's father, a 33-year old man from Willmar.
A 2009 Sylvan pontoon that was coming from the west veered to avoid the fishing board and struck the young boy.
The youth was brought to shore, in the 6500 block of 146th Avenue Southeast, by family members at around 3:30 p.m.
According to Sgt. Steven Marquardt with the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Department, the boy was responding to emergency personnel while they were attending to his injuries.
He was airlifted by North Air Care to Robbinsdale.
The pontoon was driven by a 75-year old woman from Minnetonka.
Alcohol was not a factor, according to the sheriff's department, and the boy was wearing a life jacket.
The Blomkest First Responders, Lake Lillian Ambulance Service, Willmar Ambulance Service and Kandiyohi County Sheriff's office responded and assisted at the scene.
