15-year-old Boy Scout dies at Lake Powell

A second Boy Scout and an adult were injured in boating accident

Flagstaff, AZ - The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the National Park Service is investigating the death of a 15 year-old boy from Hurricane, Utah that occurred at Lake Powell . 

On Wednesday, July 28,  at about 9:53 p.m. a Glen Canyon National Park Service Dispatcher advised the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office of a boating accident on Lake Powell at Parson Point which is located south-east of the Waweap Marina. 

According to the NPS Dispatcher the accident involved a 15 year-old victim who had sustained severe head injuries.  Deputies learned that the 15 year-old was deceased and that another boy and an adult had also been injured during this accident.  The second boy was flown out by Classic Lifeguard Helicopter for medical attention. The adult was transported by ground ambulance to Page Hospital .

During the initial stages of this investigation, deputies learned that a group of Boy Scouts with adult chaperones from Hurricane, Utah were camping on a houseboat at the Waweap Marina.  There were a total of twelve people in this party and the decision was made to transport the boys across the bay to Antelope Island for a campfire and cookout. 

An adult drove the 20' open bow boat to the designated campsite making two trips.  At the conclusion of the cookout an adult who was driving the boat and a second adult were in the process of transporting the first four scouts back to the houseboat.  The four boys were seated in the open bow portion of the watercraft and all of the occupants were wearing personal flotation devices. 

The vessel, operating after dark, apparently struck a rock outcropping throwing the fifteen year-old out of the boat fatally injuring him. The other two individuals sustained injuries from the impact but were not thrown from the vessel.  It is believed the boat struck the rock outcropping in the area of Parson Point which is located about a mille from the marina. People who were on an uninvolved boat stopped to render medical aid.

The deceased victim is identified as 15 year-old Matthew Parker of Hurricane, Utah and the driver of the boat at the time of the accident was 38 year-old Melvin J. Terry also of Hurricane, Utah.

This accident remains under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the National Park Service.