2 boaters arrested in 'Cocktail Cove' crash

A speedboat collision in the "Cocktail Cove" area of Geist Reservoir dumped about 13 people into the water and resulted in the arrest of two men.

Boat driver John Preston, 19, of Indianapolis and passenger Philip Paligraf, 18, of Fishers ran off, but were later arrested, Indiana conservation officers said in a news release on Thursday.

Conservation officers said Preston was piloting a boat with 10 other people on board when it struck a boat carrying a husband and wife stopped at the mouth of the cove, where boats frequently tie up for parties. The accident was reported at 8:49 p.m. Wednesday.

William and Sherry Lambert, both of McCordsville, were pulled from the water by people in a passing boat. Sherry Lambert was treated and released at Community North Hospital.

The passengers in Preston's boat were unhurt. Conservation officers cited five passengers for being minors in possession of alcohol.

Preston was booked into the Hamilton County Jail on charges of fleeing the scene of an accident, boating while intoxicated resulting in bodily injury and minor consumption of alcohol. Paligran was charged with fleeing the scene of an accident, resisting law enforcement and minor consumption of alcohol.