Fort Wayne party boat crashes into bridge

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — A pontoon outfitted as a floating bar crashed into the Tecumseh Street bridge at some point Wednesday or Thursday amid high waters on the Maumee River.

The boat, which holds 14 passengers and a driver for gatherings, is new to Fort Wayne’s rivers in 2017 and has not yet been rented. It is usually anchored at The Deck by Don Hall’s Gas House.The riverboat, operated by River City Ventures, was found mangled beneath the Tecumseh Street bridge early Thursday, around the same time a man’s body was found in the same location within a logjam there. The two incidents are not related.

Joey Tippmann, owner of River City Ventures, told NewsChannel 15 the boat somehow broke free of its ties at The Deck overnight and floated free down the Maumee River before it crashed.

Tippmann said the boat is wedged under the bridge and he’s not sure how to remove it. Once it is freed, he’ll determine the damage and analyze whether it can return to the rivers.

A boat operated by River City Ventures was launched in 2017 for tours of Fort Wayne’s rivers. (River City Ventures)