“Rafting Gone Wild” on the American River in California definitely lived up to its name as the 4,000 rafting participants found themselves in the middle of a massive drunken brawl on the lazy river-like waterway. The second annual “Rafting Gone Wild” event turned from a fun eco-tourism event into a dangerous bar-room brawl without the bar and with oars substituting pool sticks as the weapon of choice. By late afternoon dozens of “Rafting Gone Wild” participants were fighting along the shore of Ancil Hoffman Park, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Sacramento County Park Ranger Sgt. Randy Lewis told the Sacramento Bee the “Rafting Gone Wild” event started out “fairly reasonable” but as the paddlers continued down the river “drunkenness and fights increased.” Pictures on the “Rafting Gone Wild” Facebook page definitely support the park ranger’s statements. Although a video of the actual fights which broke out during the California rafting event have yet to surface, a YouTube video showing an earlier confrontation between rafters reportedly set the tone for the afternoon and began over a littering in the river incident, The Blaze notes.
KCRA-TV reports more than six arrests stemmed from the “Rafting Gone Wild” events and approximately 15 river rescues by Sacramento fire and rescue responders became necessary. Last year more than a dozen arrested and 100 rafting rescues occurred during the first “Rafting Gone Wild” paddle on the American River. According to statements made by Sacramento Metro Fire Department officials to KCRA-TV “Rafting Gone Wild” participants threw rocks at rescue crews attempting to reach the scene in patrol boats, but no emergency responders were seriously injured.
