Woman charged in Maple Grove tubing crash, victims suffered serious brain injuries

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 34-year-old Maple Grove woman had a .108 BAC after a boating incident that severely injured two children Saturday night, according to charges filed in district court.

Jordan Elizabeth Seitz, of Maple Grove, now faces four felony counts of criminal vehicular operation after deputies say she was drunk when two tubers she was towing crashed into a dock when she drove too close to shore on Eagle Lake.

The charges say Seitz was hosting a boating party for 10 friends of her daughter and was driving the boat, pulling two rafts with children on them Saturday evening.

Deputies later learned she was driving too close to shore and tried to turn back towards the lake, causing one of the tubes to collide into a dock.

When deputies arrived after 8 p.m. Saturday, Seitz denied drinking, but blew a .108 during a breathalyzer test.

Later, she again denied drinking, but then admitted to it during an interview with deputies.

The two children, a boy and a girl, were hospitalized for their injuries. As of Wednesday morning, the children have been released from the hospital.

The boy sustained a traumatic brain injury and lost consciousness. He also suffered a scalp laceration and fractured his lumbar vertebra, among other injuries.

The girl sustained a subdural hematoma.

Their prognoses were not made available. Both children remain at North Memorial Hospital.

Boaters react

Maple Grove boater Brad Lay and his family were wrapping up a beautiful day on Eagle Lake Monday when they learned about a frightening mishap out on the water this past weekend.

“One mistake and it can be horrific,” he said. “I feel a little [sickened] about that because obviously someone wasn’t being safe out on the water.”

Boater Michael Delalley said he was shocked by the incident.

“It’s crazy. That’s dangerous. When you are out there boating, and you start drinking, you may not notice how far away you are and make a turn. You can really hurt people,” he said.

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and water patrol is investigating the incident. Sergeant Rick Waldon urged everyone to be safe and smart as the summer calendar turns the page to August.

“Our message is always the same. We want people to wear life jackets. We want people to have sober drivers and put alcohol away. Be out there having fun, but be responsible,” he said.