U-M women's rowing team victim of hit-and-run boater

BELLEVILLE, Mich. (WJBK) - The women's varsity row team at the University of Michigan was involved in a hit-and-run accident with a boater Wednesday.

The team was practicing on Belleville Lake when police say a man driving a yellow speed boat struck the nine rowers, breaking the boat into pieces. All nine rowers ended up in the water. Some were able to jump away in time. One rower suffered minor injuries.

"We had a boat collision out there involving rowers, who would have have the right of way," says Van Buren Public Safety Dep. Director Jason Wright. "We're evry fortunate that we didn't lose a child today."

Wright says it wasn't sure yet how fast the boat was going.

Police say the drivver immediately went to the boat launch and took his boat out of the water, but officers tracked him and his boat trailer down at Huron River Drive and Rawsonville Road. He was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident.