Boating & Fishing

Watch: Brick Marine Police Officers Rescue Woman After Jet-Ski Collision

by
Daniel Nee
August 18, 2023

Brick police officers with the department’s Marine Unit are being credited with saving a woman who was injured when her jet-ski collided with another on the Metedeconk River last week. (Note: Ad blockers may interfere with the video, embedded above.)

Brick police released video of the rescue on Friday, with the face of the victim blurred due to her age and privacy concerns. According to Sgt. Jim Kelly, the incident occurred at 3:56 p.m. on the river last Friday, Aug. 11.

Brick police officers rescue a woman whose PWC collided with another on the Metedeconk River, Aug. 11, 2023. (Credit: Brick Twp. Police)

Kelly said Lt. Paul Catalina and Officers Andriy Shevchuk and Carissa Pagnotta, were patrolling on the Metedeconk River when they came upon a female in distress and an unoccupied wave runner personal water craft (PWC). The woman had been operating the PWC when she collided with her boyfriend, who was operating another PWC, at which time she was ejected from the craft and into the water.

The victim was complaining of pain in her leg which was later determined to be broken – a dangerous situation that could have rendered her unable to swim back to the PWC or to shore.

Officers utilized a boat hook to reach the victim and were able to pull her onto the patrol boat. The woman was then transported to Pier 281 Marina on Princeton Avenue where EMTs were standing by to transport her to the hospital for treatment of her injuries. Officer Shevchuk drove her wave runner to the same marina for safe keeping.

The NJSP Marine Unit responded to handle the crash report.

Brick police officers rescue a woman whose PWC collided with another on the Metedeconk River, Aug. 11, 2023. (Credit: Brick Twp. Police)

A Brick police boat in F-Cove, Brick Township. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Body camera footage, which has been redacted due to the victim’s age, shows the officers pulling her onto the boat, and later carrying her off the boat onto the dock where EMTs were waiting.

“Chief David Forrester commends the officers for this water rescue whose quick and decisive actions prevented further harm to a young woman in danger,” Kelly said.