10-Year-Old Girl Killed, Woman Severely Injured in Harris Lake Boating Crash Involving Impaired Operator

New Hill, North Carolina — August 4, 2025 — According to Fox 8, a heartbreaking boating incident at Shearon Harris Lake ended in tragedy, as a 10-year-old girl lost her life and a woman suffered life-altering injuries. Authorities say the driver of the boat, a man from Moore County, was impaired at the time of the crash.

According to officials with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the crash occurred near the Cross Point Access Area at the southern end of the lake. The boat’s operator, 40-year-old Quinten Gregory Kight of Vass, is accused of piloting a Tige wake boat under the influence of an impairing substance when he struck a group of swimmers in the water.

The impact killed Brooklyn Mae Carroll, a young swimmer, and left another woman with critical injuries. Wildlife Sgt. Claude Smith reported that the woman was airlifted from the scene and later underwent an amputation of her left leg above the knee.

Kight was pulling an inner tube behind the wake boat when he drove into three individuals in the water, investigators said. Following the crash, he returned to the access area, where officers located and detained him. His blood was drawn for toxicology testing, though results have not yet been released.

Kight was charged with operating a boat while under the influence and a felony marine offense that resulted in death. Officials confirmed Kight’s girlfriend owned the vessel involved.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is leading the investigation.

Other lake visitors expressed shock and sorrow over the events. Boater Craig Schnier commented, “Drinking and driving on the water is just as dangerous — if not more — than behind the wheel of a car. It’s supposed to be about fun, family, and safety. This is devastating.”

Fellow boater Mark Macchioni emphasized the importance of vigilance on the water: “No matter what others are doing, you have to be scanning the lake constantly. Lives depend on it.”

Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson released a public statement, mourning the tragic loss and condemning impaired operation. “This incident was entirely preventable. Alcohol was a factor, and the choice to operate a boat while intoxicated has permanently altered multiple lives. We urge the public never to mix alcohol and boating,” he said.

He also thanked the first responders and medical professionals who acted quickly in the aftermath. “Please keep the victims and their families in your hearts during this unimaginably difficult time,” Roberson added.

During Kight’s initial court appearance in Chatham County, prosecutors revealed that he had a 2009 DUI conviction in New Mexico and is currently facing a separate felony hit-and-run charge in Moore County.

Kight’s bond was set at $500,000 secured. The case remains under active investigation.

The Ramsay Law Firm has attorneys who are Board Certified in Workers’ Compensation claims to help individuals with severe injuries and death claims.

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Notes: Our team created this post using secondary sources and has not independently verified all the facts surrounding the accident. If you find any incorrect details, please contact the Ramsay Law Firm so we can update the post with the most accurate information. This post will be removed if requested.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice and is not a solicitation for business. The photograph used in this post is not representative of this accident. If you are injured in an accident, seek medical attention immediately, then speak to a North Carolina personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.