San Pedro, CA -Cabrillo Beach was the
scene of a modified Personal Water Craft (PWC) colliding with and killing a windsurfer Saturday 9/25/99 about 2:20
PM. The PWC was ignoring the posted 15 mph speed limit according to witnesses).
Mickie Richard Good, a 35 year old first year windsurfer who loved the sport, suffered major head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene a coroner's
spokesperson said. He was traveling at about 5mph perpendicular to the wind, when he was blindsided by a modified PWC speeding well over 45 mph. The PWC operator, Hratch Khedesian, 32, did not
require medical treatment. After the collision, Khedesian saw that Good was hurt, pulled him aboard and drove him to
shore."...Two Los Angeles lifeguards witnessed the accident. '(The cause of the accident) is under investigation right now. At this time, we're treating it like a traffic collision." stated
Port Police Officer Robert Rios.
According to people who were on the inside harbor Saturday afternoon, the PWC had been careening about for some time, causing one person to remark that 'he was going to hit someone before day's end'."[the PWC] was speeding...doing all kinds of tricks, 360's, and 180-degree turns." said witness Dan Tran.
Seconds after the sound of the
collision, the jet skier was 40 yards away from the windsurfer, indicating the speed with which the PWC was traveling.
Many PWC operators routinely violate the speed limit in the LA Harbor,much to the dismay of sailboat operators,fishermen, kayakers, swimmers, slower boats and windsurfers. PWCs usually travel
at speeds between 45 mph and 65mph and
are not warned or ticketed by the Harbor
Port Police, nor were they warned by the
City of Los Angeles Lifeguards.
Recently over the past two years
there have been three serious collisions by PWC operators with slower windsurfers.
Two of which have been non-investigated,
hit & run by PWC operators. All three
windsurfers ended up in hospitals for
extended treatment. It is not unusual for 50-100 collisions happen every year in the Los Angeles Harbor between PWC operators and other vessels and swimmers, most of which are ignored or go unreported by the above authorities.

On behalf of US Windsurfing, I
express my condolences to Mr. Good's
family. A more complete report, as well as editorial discussion and action by the US Windsurfing Board of Directors will appear in the Jan-Feb Newsmagazine.--Editor, US Windsurfing