Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A Muncie man was injured Monday on Lake James when his personal watercraft flipped as he was trying to avoid hitting two other personal watercraft operators.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Michael R. Pyles, 24, was traveling west on Lake James toward Lake Tippecanoe when two people on personal watercraft passed within 6 feet on each side of him. They crossed immediately in front of Pyles, forcing him to turn sharply to avoid hitting them.
The sharp turn caused Pyles' PWC to flip and land on top of him. He told authorities later that the two operators, whom he thought were around 13 years old, stopped, and when they saw he was injured, left.
Pyles suffered a torn right shoulder muscle.
