Sheriff's Office, Game and Fish Commission protect lake waters
Last updated Sunday, July 3, 2005 11:01 PM CDT in Front
By Jaclyn Houghton
The Morning News
ROGERS -- Sam Reyna, volunteer marine and field deputy for the Benton County Sheriff's Office, spends his free time outside a school campus coasting up to 46 mph within the 450-mile shoreline of Beaver Lake.
Reyna is an art teacher at Lincoln Junior High School in Bentonville, but volunteers more than 100 hours per month patrolling the water and the streets.
This summer marks Reyna's third at Beaver Lake, and although the loud, flashing sirens atop his patrol boat may startle lake-goers, he says that he hopes people have an enjoyable yet safe time on the water.
"Just meeting people, that's the best part (of the job)," said Reyna, 58, of Rogers. "Just making sure people are safe."
Safety is strongly enforced by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Benton County Sheriff's Office.
There have been four accidents at Beaver Lake since Memorial Day, but no deaths this year, according to Rusty Johnson of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The most serious injury occurred during the Memorial Day weekend when a child was caught beneath a boat's propeller, cutting his back and legs several times.
People do not pay enough attention and are most often cited for hazard violations, said Johnson. He estimated that more than 1,000 were on the lake for Saturday's firework show, requiring people to take extra precaution.
Johnson also said it is important that people know alcohol is not allowed on the lake.
"It is a dry county and it is federal property," Johnson said. "(Alcohol) is not allowed out here."
However, as long as individuals on the lake abide by the laws, Beaver Lake safety officials will not check boats at random for alcohol, said Ed Kolodzieski, volunteer sergeant for the Benton County Sheriff's Office.
"We don't really check people for alcohol," Kolodzieski said. "We do not board boats and check."
But, like on the roads, law enforcement can arrest individuals for boating under the Influence at a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or above.
Apart from such citations, law enforcement agents typically issue contact forms, or warnings, to individuals not abiding by the Arkansas boating laws, but for repeat offenders, the citations can be expensive.
Common citations include filling a boat beyond capacity, not slowing to idle speed in "No Wake" zones and not having the required number of personal flotation devices, Reyna said.
A typical citation may run between $150 and $250, or $1,000 to $2,500 for drinking violations, depending on a judge's decision, said Reyna.
"(Alcohol) is a problem, but it's not as bad as it used to be," said Reyna.
For Reyna, patrolling the open water gives him a time to reflect and relax.
"I just like cruising out here, it's peaceful," Reyna said.
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