Woman charged for DUI boat crash that caused 14-year-old severe injuries, documents say

KANE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — A Colorado woman is facing charges after a boat crash on Lake Powell caused a 14-year-old to fall off the boat and sustain serious injuries. Documents say she was operating the boat while under the influence of alcohol.

Jennifer Lynn Murillo, 44, of New Castle, CO, has been charged with negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, driving under the influence with a passenger under 16, open container in vehicle, two counts of vessel navigation and steering violation, and a wakeless speed and proximity violation.

According to documents, on the Fourth of July, near the Stanton Creek camping area in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a ranger with the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was dispatched to a reported boating accident involving two vessels.

The ranger was informed that the accident had resulted in a 14-year-old sustaining a severe injury where both of their legs were cut “nearly to the point of amputation.” The reporting party was transporting the 14-year-old to the Bullfrog Marina to get medical aid.

Around 6:30 p.m., the DNR ranger arrived on his vessel at the Bullfrog Marina and was helped to tow the boat with the 14-year-old onto the fuel dock. National Park Service (NPS) rangers were with the DNR ranger, and they helped provide medical aid to the injured teen.

Murillo was identified as the one driving the boat, and allegedly admitted to law enforcement that she had consumed “a couple alcoholic beverages” and was operating the boat at the time of the crash. The DNR ranger identified several open containers of alcohol around the boat while they were responding.

Through witness testimony, law enforcement learned that Murillo’s boat had struck another vessel, which allegedly caused the 14-year-old to be ejected from the bow. He fell and was struck by the propeller, causing serious injuries to his legs.

A portable breath test performed on Murillo revealed that she had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.144%, nearly triple the legal limit in Utah. Murillo was arrested and booked into jail. An official breath test roughly an hour later found her BAC to be 0.126%, documents say.

Murillo was held with bail and has since posted bond. She is not in custody at this time and has an initial appearance set for July 31.