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PORT CLINTON - A Grove City, Ohio, man who ran his boat aground in the Portage River three times within five days in November and had to be rescued each time has been charged in connection with the incidents. <br /><br />Donald E. Neff, 38, faces three charges of reckless or unsafe operation of a vehicle, all fourth-degree misdemeanors, and two charges each of failure to comply and inducing panic, all first-degree misdemeanors. He is to make an initial appearance at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 8 in Ottawa County Municipal Court. <br /> <br />"He didn't learn from his experiences," Ottawa County Prosecutor Mark Mulligan said yesterday. <br /> <br />Mr. Neff became stuck in the Portage River aboard his 25-foot Bayliner ( 
) on Nov. 12 because of low water levels. After the Coast Guard rescued him from his stranded boat, he was told to wait for higher water before returning to it, but he went back out on the river the next day in another craft, got stuck, and had to be rescued again. <br /> <br />Four days later, on Nov. 17, Mr. Neff got stuck once again. This time, the Coast Guard had to send a helicopter to rescue him and another man. It costs the Coast Guard about $8,700 to have a helicopter in the air for one hour. <br /> <br />"That's a lot of governmental expense because a guy wants to get his boat to the launch to get it out of the water for the winter, when all he had to do was wait for the water to come back up and take it out on a safe day," Mr. Mulligan said. <br /> <br />The prosecutor said Mr. Neff was charged because he took his boat out under unsafe conditions, ignored warnings from authorities to stay out of the river, and forced emergency responders to conduct rescues that should have been unnecessary. <br /> <br />Ottawa County Sheriff Bob Bratton implemented an ice-rescue policy this month that calls for arresting anyone who goes back onto a frozen waterway after being rescued. The policy also calls for anyone who is rescued from the ice three times in the same season to be sued in small-claims court to recover local rescue costs. <br /> <br />Mr. Mulligan said he would consider filing criminal charges like the ones faced by Mr. Neff against anyone repeatedly rescued from the ice. <br /> <br />"I'm looking at this case as an example of what not to do and as education for the public ... so that emergency resources won't be used for foolishness like this," he said.<br />
<br />Neff
) on Nov. 12 because of low water levels. After the Coast Guard rescued him from his stranded boat, he was told to wait for higher water before returning to it, but he went back out on the river the next day in another craft, got stuck, and had to be rescued again. <br /> <br />Four days later, on Nov. 17, Mr. Neff got stuck once again. This time, the Coast Guard had to send a helicopter to rescue him and another man. It costs the Coast Guard about $8,700 to have a helicopter in the air for one hour. <br /> <br />"That's a lot of governmental expense because a guy wants to get his boat to the launch to get it out of the water for the winter, when all he had to do was wait for the water to come back up and take it out on a safe day," Mr. Mulligan said. <br /> <br />The prosecutor said Mr. Neff was charged because he took his boat out under unsafe conditions, ignored warnings from authorities to stay out of the river, and forced emergency responders to conduct rescues that should have been unnecessary. <br /> <br />Ottawa County Sheriff Bob Bratton implemented an ice-rescue policy this month that calls for arresting anyone who goes back onto a frozen waterway after being rescued. The policy also calls for anyone who is rescued from the ice three times in the same season to be sued in small-claims court to recover local rescue costs. <br /> <br />Mr. Mulligan said he would consider filing criminal charges like the ones faced by Mr. Neff against anyone repeatedly rescued from the ice. <br /> <br />"I'm looking at this case as an example of what not to do and as education for the public ... so that emergency resources won't be used for foolishness like this," he said.<br />
