Recklessly leaving a firearm where a child can access it is a Class Three misdemeanor that carries a 500- dollar fine. Smith Mountain Lake officials are looking into why the resort area has seen more than its fair share of accidents this summer. One possible cause is growing population. That's according to one Franklin County official. There have been reports of jet ski collisions and boat wrecks almost every weekend for the past month.
Some accidents are more serious than others.
A man died July 5th when his boat crashed near the Smith Mountain Lake Dam. Franklin County's Public Safety Director says the lake's popularity may be partly to blame. The latest accident was a plane crash on the Franklin County side of the lake. The passengers suffered only minor injuries. The craft splashed down after failing to climb high enough to clear trees near the lake's edge.