A 12-year-old girl was seriously injured after the jet ski she was riding crashed in an Alabama lake.
The girl, who has not been identified, was driving a 2024 Sea-Doo 300 when she struck the causeway on Wake Robin Road around 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 31, according to a statement from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) obtained by PEOPLE.
At the time, she was pulling another 12-year-old girl on a kneeboard. That child let go of the rope before the crash and was not hurt.
After the collision at Lake Martin, the injured girl was thrown into the roadway. She was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby medical center.
Officials said the jet ski was registered to 43-year-old Jennifer F. Hartsfield of Alexander City. She was given a citation for allowing someone without a license to operate a vessel. It is not clear what her relationship is to the two girls.
Hartsfield did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Neighbors who rushed to help told WTVM that the girl had a serious leg injury, with one witness saying she had a deep cut.
ALEA explained that no one under 12 can operate motorized watercraft, such as Sea-Doos or Waverunners, on Alabama waterways. While 12-year-olds can apply for a vessel operator’s license, they cannot drive alone until they turn 14.
Operators ages 12 and 13 may drive a vessel only if someone 21 or older with a valid operator’s license is on board and ready to take control if needed.
The crash remains under investigation.
