GRDA Investigating After Witnesses Say One Of Their Boats Hit Raft In Illinois River

Two women said that on Saturday while floating the Illinois River, they saw someone in another raft get hit by a GRDA boat.

GRDA is now investigating.

Cailin Worley and Faith Hopkins say they can't stop thinking about the faces of the kids who were watching when they say a boat hit someone on a raft. 

Worley and Hopkins wanted to float the Illinois River on Saturday near Tahlequah, but they said the first two float companies were booked.

"I don't know what it was, but the heat had everybody outside," Worley said. "It was packed, it was packed."

Hopkins said they finally found a company, and by 3 p.m., they were on the water. 

That's when she says her group was floating when she saw a GRDA boat drive past her group.

"They had no business going that fast," said Hopkins.

Worley says several people around her were yelling at GRDA to slow down before they say the driver hit the corner of a raft with a large group of people, including children, on board.

"They just ignored everybody, and they kept going, and they snuck the side of somebody's raft," said Worley.

GRDA sent News On 6 a statement that says:

On Saturday June 22, the GRDA Police received a report involving an allegation that a GRDA law enforcement vessel, responding to a medical emergency on the river, had made contact with an individual floating the river, causing injury.

GRDA Police Officers responded to the scene and began conducting interviews. The investigation is ongoing. We will not have any additional information until we complete the investigation.

"We're trying to figure out what can we do to help, so I called 911," said Worley.

Hopkins says after the crash, she saw people giving the person who was hurt CPR before she says the GRDA put them onto a boat. 

"They sat him up like nothing was wrong and they put his hat back on, and then they loaded him in the ATV like he was another person sitting beside them," said Hopkins. 

GRDA says police officers went to the scene and started doing interviews.

They won't release anything more until their investigation is complete.