The family of a Hot Springs man who was severely injured in a July 8 boating collision on Lake Hamilton said Thursday they expect him to spend another four months recovering from his injuries.
Dillon Abernathy, 29, who was operating a bass boat that was struck by a pontoon boat, spent four nights in intensive care with two broken ribs, a lacerated liver and cuts on his face from the collision.
The Garland County Sheriff's Department initially received a call about the boat collision near Sam's Pizza, 401 Burchwood Bay Road, just after 9:30 p.m. July 8.
The initial report said the bass boat was pulling out of a cove when it was struck by the party barge, which differs from Abernathy's personal account.
Abernathy told The Sentinel-Record Thursday he had been traveling at about 15 mph down the main channel for around a quarter of a mile when his vessel was struck by the party barge.
He was transported to an area hospital via LifeNet. He remained in critical condition for four nights, and spent an additional two nights in the hospital for observation.
Initially, doctors were concerned with the fact he was bleeding internally, but an arteriogram revealed the bleeding had been contained. His mother, Tamara Abernathy, said doctors told her son it would take up to four months for the liver to completely repair the damage.
Dillon Abernathy, an avid boater, said he was heading back home after a sunset cruise on Lake Hamilton prior to the collision. He said he had just left the two sandbars near Laguna Shores Court and Northshore Terrace.
When he approached Osprey Point, in the Little Mazarn Creek basin, he shut down his boat to adjust his lighting, take a photo of the sunset and send some text messages. Shortly after that, he restarted the engine and continued down the main channel, rounding Anderson Point and making his way toward the right side of the lake.
"Once I hit the main body of water, I scanned the lake and checked my GPS. When I looked back up, that's when I saw the glimmer of sponson (a projection on the boat's side) off the pontoon and I didn't have any time to react," said Abernathy.
The party barge struck his boat on the port side, with red and white lights facing the party barge.
Abernathy said all of the lights on both boats were in working order, and claims his boat had the right of way. He also noted the moon was almost full that night, so visibility conditions were optimal, given the time of night.
The fin of the sponson came between Abernathy and the console of his boat, hitting him in the face, he said. The operator of the party barge has not been identified by the sheriff's department.
When first responders arrived, Abernathy was lying on the floor of the party barge that had hit him. He was concerned he had possibly injured his back, so he remained there until he was placed on a gurney and transported to the hospital.
On Thursday, he had finally recovered enough to be able to give his statement to the sheriff's department. No charges have been filed in connection with the incident, as deputies are still investigating in the collision.
Abernathy has not yet been able to assess the extent of his medical bills associated with his lengthy hospital stay, but he estimates his boat to be a loss of about $7,200.
Abernathy said he is still very sore from the collision and having to use a cane for extra support, but otherwise is recovering well.
"(This experience) just reinstates what I've always been taught, (and that's) to wear a life jacket and always be as aware as you possibly can. I'm a huge advocate of water safety, and having that life jacket on. ... I really believe it saved my life," he said.
Local on 07/21/2017