Impaired boater at Harris Lake crashes, killing girl and injuring woman, officials say

NEW HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — A Moore County man was impaired while operating a boat that crashed Saturday, causing the death of a girl who was swimming at Shearon Harris Lake, according to North Carolina Wildlife officials.

The incident happened just before 4:35 p.m., near the Cross Point Access Area, when a 40-year-old Vass man was driving a boat “under the influence of an impairing substance,” an arrest warrant and a N.C. Wildlife official said.

Quinten Gregory Kight was charged with DWI – motor boat/vessel and a felony wildlife/boat/marine offense after the incident at the far southern portion of the lake, the warrant and officials said.

The warrant said Kight “unintentionally caused the death of” Brooklyn Mae Carroll. Sgt Claude Smith, with the N.C. Wildlife Commission, said Brooklyn was just 10 years old.

An adult woman was severely injured, her left leg above the knee was amputated, and she had to be airlifted from the scene, Smith said.

The incident happened when the suspect was driving a Tige Wake Boat and pulling an inner tube. The boat drove through a group of three swimmers, which caused the injury and death, Smith said.

After the incident, the suspect was back at the Cross Point Access Area, where officers made contact with him. His blood was drawn on Saturday but the results were not reported yet, Smith said.

The boat involved belonged to Kight’s girlfriend, according to Smith.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is investigating the matter.

The Shearon Harris Reservoir is a 4,100-acre lake, located in southwestern Wake County and southeastern Chatham County. Boaters at the lake on Sunday were shocked to hear what happened on the water the day before.

“Drinking and driving in a car is totally unacceptable but drinking on a boat is a totally different level,” boater Craig Schnier said. “Absolutely absurd it’s hard to believe somebody can do something of that nature, boating is supposed to be fun, it’s supposed to be about being with family and friends. It’s just horrible to hear,” Schnier added.

Boaters told CBS 17 the most important thing to do while driving a boat is to constantly scan the water.

“You just have to make sure that you’re always looking out — it doesn’t matter what other people are doing — just make sure that you can see, especially if there’s people wakeboarding or doing something else in the water,” boater Mark Macchioni said.

Kight is scheduled to appear in court in late September.