Personal watercraft rider critical after crash with boat in Hillsborough River

TAMPA, Fla. - It was a horrifying sight Sunday evening in the Hillsborough River after a personal watercraft rider turned into the path of a boat and the two vessels collided.

Clyde Darville, who lives along the river, was watching football when he heard some commotion outside, along with the sound of small craft's motors.

"I just thought to myself, I said, these kids out here, somebody's going to get killed one day," Darville said. "It wasn't two minutes later that I saw the aftermath."

His surveillance cameras caught the awful scene. In the video, the rider made a u-turn right into the path of a boat, which ran him over. The boater immediately turned around and a man on board jumped in to help.

"When something like that happens, you feel helpless," Darville recalled. "I couldn't imagine how anybody could survive such an impact. But, the FWC said he's seen much worse and people survived."

The seriously injured personal watercraft rider was rushed to the hospital. Darville hasn't stopped praying for him or the boater.

"I'm sure the man that hit him didn't sleep well at all last night, if at all," Darville said.

Whether it would've made a difference in this case, he'd like to see a speed limit enforced on the river just like the one on the road running parallel to it.

"It concerns me on this river, with the speed limit 25 miles per hour in the front, and unlimited, or, they come by at 70 miles per hour on a jet ski, which is just too fast," Darville siad. "It's a shame for an accident to happen."

FWC continues to investigate what exactly went wrong on the river. At this point, no charges have been filed.