Massachusetts

Proposed Ordinance Would Ban Jet Skis on Merrimack River in Lowell

City leaders in Lowell, Massachusetts, are considering a ban on Jet-Skis on the Merrimack River following two deadly collisions this summer.

A 16-year-old girl was killed Aug. 13 when she was thrown off her Jet Ski after getting hit by Douglas DeMatos, 32, of Lowell. DeMatos is accused of boating while drunk.

On the Fourth of July, 39-year-old Juan Arroyo-Ortiz, of Lawrence, was killed after a collision with another Jet Ski rider.

City officials are now calling for an ordinance to ban Jet Skis on the river.

"It's been out of control over there. It's a free for all," said Lowell City Councilor Rodney Elliot. "It's also been a tragic summer with two fatalities, and I think this ordinance is imperative that we adopt it and we do it in a timely manner."

The ordinance will be discussed in a public hearing on Sept. 12.

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