Witness describes Jet Ski and boat 'drag racing' before deadly crash at Frenchman Lake

A man who witnessed the aftermath of a deadly Jet Ski and boat crash at Frenchman Lake on Saturday morning said he saw the two watercraft 'almost drag racing' across the water moments before the collision. Video of the two vessels taken from Spencer Rutz's boat appears to show the personal watercraft and the speedboat close to each other as they sped across the reservoir in Plumas County, California. "I kind of noticed that there was two vessels almost drag racing across the lake. And they were oddly really close to each other. And by the time I swam from where I got off my board to the back of the boat, everybody in my boat was yelling that they hit each other," Rutz said. When the crash happened around 11:21 a.m., Rutz said his boat sped to the scene to help the woman, later identified as 47-year-old Sandra Ann Skender of Reno. Rutz and another man on his boat helped the woman out of the water and rushed her to shore, where emergency responders later continued lifesaving efforts. "Me and another guy were the first in the water to help a female that had some injuries ... we were able to get her to the back of the boat ... as we were going to the dock, we were able get out multiple 911 text messages because there is not very good service," he said. Despite their best efforts and the best efforts of several first responder agencies, Skender was pronounced dead at the scene. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, according to the Plumas County Sheriff's Office, but alcohol is believed to be a factor. Rutz, whose small business involves boating on Frenchman Lake multiple times a week, said from his perspective, the crash could've been avoided. They were way too close to each other at the start. They should have never been that close to one another. That's a big thing that needs to be addressed in this whole area. Plumas County Sheriff Chad Hermann said it's a tragic reminder of the importance of boating safety. Though there is no legal distance required between vessels on the water, Hermann said people need to maintain a safe distance. "The faster you go, the more distance you're going to need between those boats, along with other people in the water, whether it's swimmers, whether it is people on personal watercraft," he said. You need to be able to allow yourself enough time to recognize hazards, to react to those hazards, and (make) an effort to avoid a crash. Hermann declined to comment on specifics in the ongoing investigation, but said charges could be filed if police determine there was criminal neglect. As always, he reminded anyone going on the water to ensure their vessel is safe, have enough life jackets for everyone on board, equip the vessel with flares, strobe lights, flags and a functioning horn. Anyone with further information or photos or videos that could help investigators is asked to contact the Plumas County Sheriff's Office. Email reporter Ben Margiott at [email protected]. Follow @BenMargiott on X and Ben Margiott KRNV on Facebook.