Mukilteo mayor injured in water-skiing accident

Published 10:49 pm Thursday, July 31, 2008

MUKILTEO — A mayor who was injured in a water- skiing accident last weekend is expected back to work Monday for a City Council meeting.

Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine was water- skiing on Lake Stevens last Saturday with his family when he collided with a personal watercraft that was tied to a buoy in the lake, Mukilteo City Administrator Joe Hannan said.

Marine tried to pull one water ski up to avoid hitting the watercraft head-on, but instead smashed into the water bike on his backside, Hannan said.

Marine was taken to Providence Everett Medical Center’s Colby Campus, where he went into surgery almost immediately, Hannan said. Marine had more surgery Monday.

None of the mayor’s internal organs were injured, and it appears that he did not suffer any nerve damage, Hannan said.

“He was coming out of a lake, so they were concerned that he would have bacteria in the wounds,” Hannan said. “He was on antibiotics and on some pretty heavy pain medication.”

Marine returned to his home Wednesday. He is expected to attend Mukilteo’s City Council meeting at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Reporter Krista J. Kapralos: 425-339-3422 or kkapralos@heraldnet.com.