Sonoma County Sheriff’s Marine Unit arrests man for Boating Under the Influence and causing an injury.
On Sunday, July 24th 2016 at about 8PM the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit responded to the private marina area of Lake Sonoma. An adult man suffered a head injury while wakeboarding and was being treated by on-scene paramedics. The man was flown directly to the hospital by REACH Air Ambulance.
The Marine Unit Deputies conducted an investigation and interviewed the boat driver and the four other passengers. They learned that the injured man was wakeboarding in the area of the Dry Creek arm of the lake. The boat was travelling at about 20 mph when he took a hard fall off a wake.
The man was able to swim back to the boat where he complained of back pain. He also had a cut on his head which was likely caused when he hit his head on the wakeboard. His injuries appeared to worsen as they went to the Marina where they called 911.
The driver of the boat, 30 year-old Andrew Scheff of Santa Rosa, exhibited symptoms of alcohol intoxication. A preliminary breath test revealed that his blood alcohol level was approximately twice the legal limit to operate a boat safely.
Scheff was arrested for felony boating under the influence which resulted in injury. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail. He produced the $10,000 bail and is scheduled to appear before a judge on July 29, 2016 at 8:30.
Report #160724-020
Prepared by Sergeant Cecile Focha
PIO/ Media Relations
Address/Location
Sonoma County Sheriff's Office
2796 Ventura Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 707-565-2650