First responders who watched quiet crowds this Labor Day weekend admit there may be fewer people in town compared to past holiday weekends, but swear Lake Havasu still has its charms.

“I think there are less people in town,” said San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Sgt. Tim Smith. “The ‘little sand bar,’ north of the mouth of the river about three miles, had numerous boats. All the other places, even Copper Canyon, seem to have had small crowds for a holiday weekend.”

Smith was able to gauge the Labor Day weekend crowds on Lake Havasu and the Colorado River from the SBCSD helicopter that was part of the agency’s holiday weekend operation.

“I think we had really good crowds for Fourth of July, but I think the economy, the kids being back to school and families choosing to make one trip (per summer) instead of two trips might have left them choosing between holidays,” Smith said.

In all, the SBCSD holiday weekend waterway operations ended with 26 arrests. Twelve of those arrests were for negligent/reckless boating operations, seven were for boating under the influence, three were DUI arrests, three were underage consumption of alcohol violations and one was for purchasing alcohol for a minor. During that incident, the individual was also arrested for possession of a deadly weapon.

The department’s Colorado River Station Marine Enforcement Unit conducted a joint task force operation over the weekend that included California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. The collaborative effort allowed SBCSD to add seven peace officers to their Labor Day operations, according to a press release.

“We change gears a little bit in the off season. We will have boating classes for law enforcement and start looking at grant monies to purchase new equipment in the upcoming months,” Smith said. “Just because the boating season scales down doesn’t mean we are done.”

SBCSD was the only agency to report an injury boating accident during the holiday weekend.

The incident occurred Friday on the Colorado River south of Palms River Resort when a personal watercraft operator, 42-year-old John Cameron, of Needles, Calif., was injured after being struck by PWC operator 25-year-old Michael Robinson, of Riverside, Calif.

Cameron reportedly suffered a compound fracture to his lower left leg. He was airlifted to

a hospital in Las Vegas. The accident remains under investigation and alcohol has not yet been deemed a factor, earlier reports said.

In Bridgewater Channel, Lake Havasu City Police Department Sgt. Craig Stefick said the Channel remained open to boaters all day Sunday, despite having closed for an hour Saturday afternoon for congestion and elevated carbon dioxide levels.

A non-injury boat collision occurred in south Bridgewater Channel about 8 p.m. Sunday night when an intoxicated boat operator struck a moored boat. The incident resulted in two OUI arrests after the occupants of the boat switched drivers just after the collision, Stefick said.

On the streets of Havasu, Murdock said there were a few drunken drivers arrested over the weekend.

“Compared to other weekends and other holiday weekends, it was not bad, pretty quiet,” Murdock said.

On Friday night, one drunken driver incident involved a drunken motorist who struck the back of vehicle causing a chain reaction of rear-end collisions, Murdock said.

Early Sunday, police reported one injury, hit-and-run accident at Mariposa Drive and Swanson Avenue — the only one for the weekend. During the incident, an unidentified driver of a Dodge Neon reportedly skidded 177-feet through a stop sign and intersection and was T-boned by a Havasu driver about 3:46 a.m. The two passengers in 25-year-old Havasu driver Michael Garcia’s 2002 Honda were later taken by private vehicle to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Police said the suspect Dodge Neon vehicle must have been traveling in excess of 50 mph. The vehicle operator drove away from the scene, running over a street sign in the area, earlier reports said.

Police launched a citywide search for the Neon and have since located the vehicle, but not the driver, Murdock said Monday.

James Whitt, Lake Havasu City Fire Department battalion chief, reported no major incidents but was surprised that the majority of calls were at people’s houses instead of Bridgewater Channel.

“It’s been hot the last couple of days, but there were only a couple of heat-related calls,” Whitt said.

At 11:40 a.m. Monday, firefighters were called to assist an individual with alcohol poisoning at a home appliance store in the 1700 block of North McCulloch Boulevard.

About 10 minutes later, firefighters were dispatched to Lake Havasu City Municipal Airport for an in-flight pilot in distress who was about to land his airplane.

“It was a minor fuel leak. The pilot was just taking precautions prior to landing,” Whitt said. “He landed without any problems.”

Although it turned out to be nothing for the firefighters, two engines and a battalion chief responded to the call.

Just like the Channel, Lake Havasu State Park had a quiet weekend.

“It was not an overwhelming weekend for us but it was definitely steady,” said Brandon Baeuerlen, assistant park manager. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Baeuerlen reported no major incidents at the park, save a few fights on the launch ramps that were dealt with by park security.

Friday was a slow beginning for the holiday weekend and the park resorted to its launch-and-leave program after 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Sunday was busy, but the park never filled up, Baeuerlen said.

Attempts to contact Mohave County Sheriff’s Office were unsuccessful Monday.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.