An Ames man was taken to the hospital after being hurt in an unusual boating accident on Clear Lake Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say 77-year-old Jim Duea fell and was impaled through the upper left leg by a boat cleat on the edge of the boat.
Duea was suspended over the side of the boat and partially was in the water. Karolyn Ellett of Ames was also in the boat and was able to call 9-1-1 while keeping Duea from falling overboard, and is credited with saving his life. Clear Lake firefighters and a Cerro Gordo County deputy helped to free Duea from the cleat and transported him to shore on the Fire Department’s rescue boat.
Duea was taken to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City for treatment of what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. The incident happened at about 12:50 p.m. about three-eights of a mile southwest of the area of the Seawall.
(Reporting by Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City)