Jack Gear Death;- Two individuals are now facing felony charges nearly a year after a tragic incident resulted in the death of a 10-year-old boy in a jet ski accident on Old Hickory Lake.
Officers from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) reported that they were dispatched to the lake shortly after 5 p.m. on July 16, 2024, following reports of a collision between two jet skis in the vicinity of Boxwell Reservation. The jet skis, which were owned by Boxwell Reservation, were operated by staff members and each had a child passenger on board. A 19-year-old staff member and her 10-year-old passenger sustained serious injuries as a result of the collision.
The TWRA indicated that the 19-year-old staff member was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment of her injuries. Unfortunately, despite lifesaving efforts, the 10-year-old, identified as Jack Gear, succumbed to his injuries at Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital.
Approximately two months following the fatal incident, Jack’s parents initiated a lawsuit against the Middle Tennessee Council Boy Scouts of America, seeking $10 million in damages. They allege that the organization’s “negligence and reckless conduct” contributed to their son’s death.
The lawsuit asserts that Jack was participating as a camper at Boxwell Reservation during the Tennessee National Guard Youth Week. Recently, a Wilson County Grand Jury has indicted two individuals, identified as Joshua Kennington and Savannah Remington, on multiple charges related to the fatal crash.
According to an indictment obtained by Nexstar’s Newschain, the grand jury concluded that both Kennington and Remington “did unlawfully and recklessly kill Jack Gear by the operation of a vessel subject.”
Furthermore, the indictment specifies that they both failed to “proceed at safe speeds” and neglected to “alter their courses” to prevent the collision. Kennington and Remington face charges of vehicular homicide by recklessness, failure to maintain safe speed, risk of collision, and head-on situation. Both individuals have been taken into custody at Wilson County Jail.
Newschain has reached out to the defense attorneys for further comments. No additional information is available at this time.
