By Kathryn Reed

Four people from the Bay Area were injured in a personal watercraft accident in Zephyr Cove, with one man lucky to be alive.

Antonio Villobos, 26, of San Francisco and Scott Alexander, 26, of Campbell were driving and the women – Marisa Borelli, 22, of San Francisco and Erica Sempolski, 26, of San Ramon – were their passengers.

“I don’t think it will be fatal accident. We weren’t sure that was always going to be the case,” Ed Lyngar, boating education coordinator with the Nevada Division of Wildlife, told Lake Tahoe News.

Villobos sustained the most serious injuries. The others at a minimum were bruised and banged up.

“Right now it appears there will be charges for both operators of the Jet Skis. Call it a textbook case of reckless operation,” Lyngar said. “This is a common occurrence when Jet Skis buzz each other and spray each other.”

Nevada law dictates vessels must stay five lengths from the next closest vessel. In this case that would have been 50 feet.

Investigators are still trying to determine who turned into whom.

The accident occurred Aug. 1 at 3:15pm about one-quarter mile from shore. The watercraft were rented from the marina at Zephyr Cove. Lyngar noted the resort is not at fault and that employees there are good about giving the safety briefing to people who rent watercraft of any kind.