Lake Havasu, Ariz. — A quiet afternoon on the Colorado River turned into heartbreak on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, when a high‑speed boating run ended in a deadly crash north of Lake Havasu. Two California men died in the smash‑up near Topock Gorge after their boat slammed into the rocky Arizona shoreline and flipped into the reeds on the California side.
It was about 4:50 p.m. when the Mohave County Sheriff’s Division of Boating Safety got the call. Neighbors and river travelers told dispatchers that a vessel was out of control and moving fast. Rescue crews from San Bernardino County Fire and Lake Havasu City Fire raced to the scene with fire boats and emergency gear.
Deputies found a 2002, 25‑foot Daves Custom Boat lodged in the tall reeds along the California bank. One man was already gone when rescuers reached him. Another was badly hurt and flown by medical helicopter to a hospital, but he later died from his injuries. The river was calm that day, and witnesses say the crash was sudden and shocking.
Investigators on scene say the boat had been heading northbound at a high rate of speed before it lost control and hit the rocks on the Arizona side of the river. There were no other boats reported involved. The craft eventually came to a rest where the river narrows and the reeds grow thick on the shore.
The men killed in the accident were identified as 33‑year‑old Noah Welch and 53‑year‑old James Rutherford Jr., both from California. Friends and family who knew them described them as outdoorsmen who loved the water and took pride in their time on the river.
Authorities have not yet released a cause for the loss of control. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing and that no charges have been filed. Officials also used the tragedy to remind boaters to slow down, stay vigilant, and respect the river’s hidden hazards.
In the tight‑knit boating community that stretches from Lake Havasu to Topock Gorge, the news of the double fatality spread quickly. Many are sharing memories of Welch and Rutherford and urging others to err on the side of caution on the water.
