Boater accused of running over kayaks in Puget Sound appears in court

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The suspect accused of running over kayaks with a speedboat last month appeared in court Monday.

The suspect has not yet been charged, but he was arrested for hit-and-run and is scheduled to be arraigned on September 3.

The incident occurred on August 3 in South Sound near Hope Island. Father and son said they tried to get the driver's attention when they saw the boat speeding toward them.

Phillip Hill and his son Anthony jumped into the water to avoid being hit, and the driver left the scene. Both men were uninjured but told KING 5 they were lucky to survive.

They told police that despite his reputation and obvious signs of distress, the boat operator did not slow down or return to the scene of the accident after the collision, court documents show.

The driver was arrested Friday. A Thurston County Sheriff's Office spokesman said eyewitnesses, including the Hills, helped investigators identify him.