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Oregon woman, 24, killed in freak boating accident, family blames 'reckless' driver for her death: 'No simple accident'
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Oregon woman, 24, killed in freak boating accident, family blames 'reckless' driver for her death: 'No simple accident'

'She was so innocent and taken so violently.'

A young Oregon woman died after a crazy freak accident while boating, according to officials.

The odd news emerged just before 8 p.m. on June 22 that a young woman had been severely injured in a boating accident.

Kaileigh Seidel – who was riding on an inflatable device towed by boat – reportedly begged the driver of the boat to slow down. The boat driver allegedly continued to drive the vessel in a zig-zagging motion despite her requests to be more careful.

During the boating adventure, there was reportedly a tubing accident near the Hawthorne Bridge on the Willamette River in Oregon.

The victim was allegedly flung into another boat, according to witnesses.

"The driver who was driving very fast and recklessly, he just drove her into another boat. She hit the boat, and she died immediately, to my knowledge," said Aliyah Seidel – Kaileigh’s younger sister.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office informed Fox News that a 911 caller "reported that they had witnessed a woman getting struck by another boat."

The sheriff's office stated, "The woman was transported to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead after she arrived."

Seidel was rushed to the local hospital after being pulled from the water, but the family told KGW that she most likely died at the scene.

"She was so innocent and taken so violently because of someone else’s decision to be reckless. We definitely feel her not being here. It’s a hole in all of our hearts, it’s so quiet," Aliyah Seidel –Kaileigh told FOX 12.

Kaileigh's aunt, Rachelle Hunsperger, said, "That just seems so unlike her. She was always like, ‘Let’s go, let’s have fun.’ If she was telling somebody to slow down then she was probably scared. This was no simple accident. I feel that there is somebody definitely at fault and hopefully that comes out."

Aliyah added, "She had a beautiful smile, and she just touched so many lives."

A GoFundMe fundraising campaign had raised over $45,000 by Sunday morning.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office River Patrol unit is currently investigating Kaileigh's sudden death.

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Paul Sacca

Paul Sacca

Paul Sacca is a staff writer for Blaze News.
@Paul_Sacca →