11-year-old Dead After Incident at Sand Hollow State Park

Date: 10/7/2020

SAND HOLLOW STATE PARK  — An 11-year-old Arizona boy is dead following a personal watercraft incident at Sand Hollow State Park on Monday. 

At about 1:15 p.m. on October 5, 2020, two personal watercraft collided with each other on Sand Hollow Reservoir. Each of the two watercraft was carrying an adult with two children, for a total of six people. 

All three occupants of one watercraft — a father and two children — were thrown from their vessel into the water. All six of those involved were wearing life jackets. 

Another party who witnessed the incident from the beach arrived in a boat and assisted with bringing the injured man and two children back to the shore. Those on-shore provided first-aid and CPR to the three until Utah State Park Rangers and emergency responders from Hurricane City Ambulance responded to the area. The father and two children were transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center.

The 11-year-old child, Ethan David Law of Chandler, Arizona, was pronounced dead Tuesday due to injuries sustained in the incident. The injured father and second juvenile sustained non-life-threatening injuries. 

The Utah Division of Parks and Recreation extends our condolences to the family and friends impacted by this tragedy. Boaters are reminded that Utah Law requires vessels to remain a minimum of 150-feet away from one another when operating above a wakeless speed. 

This incident remains under investigation. 

For additional information on Utah’s boating laws, rules, and educational resources, visit boating.uath.gov.