Owner of Chain boat rental business accused of throwing customer's phone in lake

The owner of a Chain O' Lakes boat rental business was arrested after, authorities allege, she tossed a customer's cellphone into the water during a confrontation Saturday evening.

According to Lake County sheriff's police, Kristen Wooden, 36, of Antioch Township called 911 at 6 p.m. Saturday and claimed a customer had damaged one of the boats she rents at The Boatyard, on the 42100 block of North 4th Avenue near Antioch.

Sheriff's marine unit deputies arrived to find Wooden refusing to let the customers dock the boat because she believed they would damage it further, authorities said Tuesday.

Deputies agreed to give Wooden a ride to the boat so she could dock it herself. After she parked the boat, sheriff's police said, Wooden spotted a patron recording her on a cellphone, snatched the device and threw it in the lake. The phone was not recovered.

Deputies found no signs of impairment with the operator of the boat, officials said. The renters told deputies they were never given proper instructions on maneuvering the boat.

Deputies later determined Wooden did not provide a copy of the rental agreement to the renters, as required by statute, and the boat did not have an emergency engine cut-off switch link, as required by the U.S. Coast Guard, sheriff's police said.

Wooden was arrested on a charge of criminal damage to property, as well as cited for the equipment violation, and later released on a $1,500 recognizance bond. She is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 23.

Sheriff's police said later claims by the business, including that there were numerous liquor and beer bottles, garbage and human waste left on the rented boat, were not supported by what deputies saw Saturday. The sheriff's office said that despite claims that the boat had to be taken out of service because its structural integrity was compromised, it was rented out the following day.