(Columbia) August 25, 2006 - It could be another two weeks before the DNR wraps up an investigation into a fatal boat accident.
    
Last month's crash on Lake Murray took the life of a Chapin woman. However, the department says the case is more complicated than it might appear.

Beginning July 31, the Department of Natural Resources and other agencies searched for 39-year-old Traci Jacobs. However, finding her body would take another three days.

Jacobs had disappeared after the violent collision of two boats.

Now, almost a month later, the investigation into how the accident happened is still far from complete.

Woody Barr wonders why. "I have no idea," Barr told WIS News. "I thought that the results would be just a blood test at the hospital. To distinguish, you know, what was involved as far as him driving the boat, whether he was intoxicated or not."

Barr and Jacobs were on the same boat, when another craft slammed into them the night of July 30.

A couple of days later, Barr told WIS News he and Jacobs tried to jump off their boat seconds before impact. "I heard a motor behind us and I turned around and looked and his lights were just coming straight for us. And he was flying."

DNR identifies the people aboard the oncoming boat as Jon Paul Rogers - the driver - and a companion, Robin Brockington.

Spokesman Robert McCullough says the department has still not decided yet whether any laws were broken. "Some of the problems that are unique to a boating accident - there are no skid marks," said McCullough. "If you're on the water, from the moment the accident happens, you're moving. You're never static on top of the water. You're always drifting, so you're never exactly where you were."

Barr says he continues to have difficulty dealing with the loss of his friend and wants to see the case resolved soon. "I wake up in a cold sweat. And after seeing, actually seeing the boat hit us and hearing her scream, it's just about to drive me crazy. It's not getting better. It's getting worse."

Reported by Jack Kuenzie

Posted 6:53pm by Logan Smith