LAWRENCE, Mass. (WHDH) — The family of a Lawrence man killed Tuesday afternoon in a jet ski collision on the Merrimack River in Lowell is speaking out with the hope of finding answers regarding his tragic death.
Juan Arroyo-Ortiz, 39, was out on the water celebrating the Fourth of July when he collided with another rider. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities in Lowell are seeking help from anyone who may have witnessed the deadly collision, but no one has come forward yet. As his family desperately pleads for answers, Ortiz is being remembered as a loving husband and a father to four children.
“You guys took a human being from us, a father, a son, a partner, a friend,” Ortiz’s brother-in-law Miguel Fernandez said. “You guys left us with pain and a lot of questions.”
Lowell police along with state and environmental police responded to the incident off Rynne Beach and pulled Ortiz from the water, who had suffered traumatic injuries. The other jet ski operator did not stop.
“We want justice. We want to know what really happened,” Fernandez said.
Police say hundreds of people were out on the water boating and enjoying the holiday when the crash happened.
Ortiz’s family hopes someone will come forward with details about his sudden death. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
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