The Juneau Police Department is asking anyone who witnessed Saturday’s fatal jet ski and inner tube collision at Auke Lake to call police if they haven’t already.
Lt. Kris Sell says JPD is in the early phases of interviewing potential witnesses and reconstructing the crash that resulted in the death of 16-year-old Savannah Cayce, a junior at Juneau-Douglas High School.
Sell didn’t say how many people JPD has interviewed so far, but she estimated approximately 50 people were at the lake on Saturday as temperatures soared up to 80 degrees.
“We are trying to talk to everybody,” Sell said.
Police told the Empire earlier that they are required to conduct investigations into unattended deaths — meaning when doctors aren’t present — to ensure no laws were violated.
Once the police investigation is complete, JPD will submit its report to the district attorney’s office to determine if charges should be filed.
Cayce suffered a severe head injury around 4:40 p.m. Saturday when the inner tube she and another 16-year-old girl were on — which was being towed by a jet ski — was struck by another jet ski, police said in a statement.
Both girls were injured in the collision and were taken to the hospital. The friend was treated for a bump on her head, but Cayce was medevaced to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She died Monday morning.
Sell declined to discuss details of the ongoing investigation, and the names of the drivers of the jet skis are still being withheld.
Sell also declined to characterize the nature of the crash, saying that it’s too early to tell.
“We’re going at this investigation with just an open mind,” she said, “that we’re going to listen to what people saw and what people heard until we can piece the whole thing together.”
The investigation is being headed by JPD Officer Brian Dallas.
In addition to patrol officers and detectives, JPD also pulled in a part-time reserve police officer and another officer who was supposed to be in a training class to get more hands in on the investigation, Sell said.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers are also assisting, Sell said, particularly because JPD does not specialize in water traffic and watercraft investigations, Sell said.
“We are definitely looking to the experts to help us interpret things,” she said.
Finding actual witnesses to the collision is a time-consuming task, Sell said. She likened it to a car crash where many people didn’t see what happened, but did see the immediate aftermath since the disturbance is what attracts the attention.
Given the charged emotional circumstances, there’s been a lot of conversations where sometimes stories change, albeit slightly, Sell said.
“It’s kind of like playing the telephone game,” Sell said. “... You need to wade through all of that, and get back to what was actually seen.”
Potential witnesses to the collision can call JPD at 586-0600.
• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (20)
Add commentIronic, isn't it?
Someone hiding behind a fake name denigrating a police officer. If you want spineless, look in the mirror, akyooper.
Odd...
Is there a reason this investigation is ongoing? Do they suspect the driver of murder, negligent homocide or is this an accident? Where is this going to go? If anyone is guilty of negligent homocide, shouldn't it be the city for allowing multiple powercraft on a tiny lake. And yes, 1/4 of one square mile in size is tiny.
@wren
"Police told the Empire earlier that they are required to conduct investigations into unattended deaths — meaning when doctors aren’t present — to ensure no laws were violated."
CBJ At Fault
Sure CBJ thinks they covered their behinds with a few signs no one reads, especially young men. Sell said,JPD does not specialize in water traffic and watercraft investigation. Nor does CBJ have any experitice or qualified staff to manage multiple uses of a tiny lake. This is a beauty of a civil suit against CBJ in the making. And that money comes out of the taxpayers pockets.
Its about time!
JPD will keep an "open mind". Why are they pulling in part-time reserve police officers? On my way home last night I saw two speed traps and two cops loitering in the nugget mall parking lot. We just need the cops we already have to do their jobs!
Just doing their job
Police need to investigate any death. It would be irresponsible and inconsiderate to the family if they did not. However, I hope the police are truly open minded - and don't take the usual knee jerk response of filing trumped up charges and then negotiating a plea bargain.
Wren, it's "homicide".
Homocide would be something different......
JPD
First, my sincere condolences to the families involved.
Second, let's not jump to blaming CBJ or JPD for what appears to be an accident. We live in an imperfect world, we are imperfect beings. Accidents will happen.
@akyooper: Be advised that slander is a crime and could get you sued. You'd be wise to delete your slanderous comment.
I personally feel this lake should be closed to motorized traffic including jet skis and float planes. It's too small. Make it for kayaks, fisherman, swimmers, etc.
Sorry, Jo
I have to correct you. Slander is spoken. Akyooper committed libel, since he or she wrote it. Also, it's not a crime: in fact, it's protected speech under the First Amendment, but you are correct in saying that the writer could be sued.
repeat
repeat
Cmon!
What the JPD really need is a ginormous bronze statue of a police officer!
That will get the investigation going!
Libel is illegal
Libel is actually illegal, though it is typically a civil issue, rather than a criminal issue. However mere opinion is not libel. Akyooper's comment doesn't rise to libel, a written statement of a known falsehood. While clearly insulting and asinine, it's not illegal to spout such drivel. As with any serious investigation, I expect JPD to carefully examine and consider all evidence available. To come to any conclusions at this point would not be in the public's best interest.
What happened to personal responsibility?
Don't go around banning every potentially dangerous activity because the city can't afford to babysit. The city can and should only do so much to protect us from ourselves. Their resources are finite. If the lake does not look safe to you, how about you go somewhere else that day? Let others worry about themselves.
giant fence
jo is right again,
But lets be fair, close it to all users and build a giant fence around the lake that will be the safest and will get rid of the lake as an attractive nuisance for the city.
Public safety
So if cars are going 80mph down Rverside Drive past the schools just keep the kids home from school. Why spend CBJ money on baby sitting the roads.
libel vs. slander
I meant libel.
Sorry for the confusion.
Thanks for the clarification.
Dude has since deleted his comment.
These comments make me wonder
These comments make me wonder if the cruise lines had a special retard cruise passing through and they all decided to comment to the empire.
Why is JPD any way at fault for a bunch of idiots on jet skiis? It's well known that you need to have an IQ of under 50 to spend all that money to buy one, much less turn teenagers loose on them. Auke lake is unregulated because people like it that way, or at least don't care much.
Auke Lake unregulated? Think
Auke Lake unregulated? Think again BJ1.
Public Money
The aftermath of the death It is costing 1 heck of a lot more public money then it would have to enforce the rules. As far as having to baby sit the public if somethink risky is going on the public pays for the JPD, Troopers, Coast Guard, EMT's etc. So let 500 people into the Valley swimming pool or 600 into Treadwell Arena with beer? AUke Lake is way to small for the number of the jet skis and boats that were on the last last weekend.
So if I go to Rotary Park and a bunch of people are drinking, smoking dope and shooting crossbow arrows at beer cans I should just leave? Don't need no baby sitter?
Be reasonable
All those you mention are already covered by some form of enforcement. I don't believe anybody is calling for complete societal anarchy or saying you shouldn't call the police to report illegal activity on the lake. I don't think it being crowded is something that warrants a call-in and it doesn't warrant new restrictions or massive additional enforcement funded by user fees. Is it more dangerous when crowded - obviously. This accident could have also occurred in open salt water with there only being the two jet skis for as far as the eye could see. Everybody has their own level of risk they are willing to deal with, which was my point earlier. You may think it looks like mayhem, another may think it looks like a good time.
When Eaglecrest is busy and collisions more likely I don't ask them to restrict access, I take less busy routes or come a different day - its just more fun. This is more like that situation than speeding through school zones, drinking at the swimming pools, or illegal behavior in a popular park.
Lake Management Plan
Due to the tragic events that occurred on Auke Lake and the death of Savannah Cayce, I cannot even image the pain and suffering the family must be going through. My Prayers and DEEPEST HEARTFELT SYMPATHY goes out to her family, friends and Juneau as a Community.
Janice Lobaugh & Family
As a former resident of Juneau, I do believe a Community Based Lake Management Plan needs to be instilled to prevent this or any other tragedy like this from occurring in the future.
A lake management plan is developed by residents and property owners listing out concerns and management guidelines regarding a lake's character and environment. Residents and property owners of the lake develop the plan's goals and objectives through the planning process. The planning effort is facilitated by the the City of Juneau. It wouldn’t hurt to have something like this on the other lakes visited by the public in the Juneau Area.
This plan should identify the following 4 key elements:
1. Existing conditions (physical, historical, social, regulatory)
2. Concerns or issues
3. Goals and objectives
4. Recommendations
Some ideas for consideration in developing this plan:
1. Electric Motors only
2. Motorized Watercraft Prohibited
3. No Wake Zone, “X” amount of feet from shore
4. No Wake Zone, “X” amount of feet from dock
5. Horsepower Limit
6. Personal Watercraft Prohibited. Including Amphibious Vehicles
7. Winter Motor Vehicle Ban
8. Commercial Floatplane Operations are discouraged
9. Maintain Current Limited Access
10. Access to be day use only, between the hours of “X” and “X”
11. Quiet Hours:
10:00pm – 8:00am, Sun-Thurs
11:00pm – 8:00am – Fri-Sat
12. Have a permanent sign installed to reflect the rules of the lake, on all main areas of access
Lake Characteristics
1. An overview of the lake as a whole with reference points, should a situation arise in the future, for ease in identifying the area of urgency.
2. Information on the mean depth, maximum depth, and surface area
3. If there is a known dangerous area within the lake, this needs to be identified up front.
The management plan, rules and regulations need to be overseen by the City & Borough of Juneau, and an ordinance needs to be created and enforced.
Why is it more of a priority that CBJ has the garbage police driving around on garbage day, or policing the downtown parking to ensure someone has paid the fee for parking, and god forbid you flick a cigarette butt, instead of establishing a life guard situation on the lakes that have extensive public use, when weather permits?
I hope this information helps the City of Juneau and it’s residents. Such a tragedy should have been prevented!
Names?
Does anyone know why the names of the adult jet ski operators have not yet been released to the public?
@Parishilton
JPD has not released the names of either jetski operator. Please delete your comment and let the police do their job. The Cayce family and everyone affected by this horrible accident deserve this community to respect their privacy while they mourn and heal which may take a very long time.