PARKERSBURG - A Belpre woman is in intensive care at a Morgantown hospital following a weekend boating accident.
Sylvia Ice, 42, of Belpre, was flown by medical helicopter to Morgantown after suffering "extensive head trauma" from a boating collision near Point Park Saturday afternoon, according to a West Virginia Division of Natural Resources police officer.
Ice, piloting a personal watercraft, collided with a boat piloted by 52-year-old Chris McKenzie, of Athens, Ohio, near the confluence of the Ohio River and Little Kanawha River late Saturday afternoon, an official said.
West Virginia DNR Police Lt. S.K. Hickman said the pair had met during the day and McKenzie's boat was creating wakes and waves so Ice could jump them.
"One of them swerved the opposite direction and they collided," Hickman said. "They were both at fault."
Ice's sister-in-law Patricia Mugrage said Ice's companion got her turned over in the water. Ice was lifted into McKenzie's boat and they took her to shore, to Point Park, to an ambulance, Mugrage said.
McKenzie was cited in the incident and released, Hickman said
Hickman said the accident is still under investigation.
"Our guys will compile the information and contact the Wood County Prosecutor's Office "to see if they want to file further charges."
According to Hickman, Ice was transported to Camden Clark Medical Center. She was transported by helicopter to Ruby Memorial, where she later underwent more than 10 hours of facial surgery, according to Mugrage.
An official from Ruby Memorial Hospital confirmed Ice was in critical condition Monday.
Mugrage said Ice was resting Sunday night.
"She can't talk. They had to completely reconstruct her face," she said. "All the bones in her face were pretty much shattered.
"She has a long, long road to recovery."
"She's a lucky woman," Mugrage said. "The power of prayer."
