It's Just a Scratch...

[Sigarms]

I hear you, Sig, but whenever the 'kid' gets busted he will blame everyone but himself anyway. Better to get him off the streets sooner before he "accidentally" injures or kills someone.

Tips can be anonymous.

You need to assume anything the 35 year old kid says is a lie until proven otherwise (he dug his own hole).

I do some work in Asheville (odd town which I won't go down that rabbit hole) but having lived in NC for over 20 years now, I find it hard to believe that with a NC drivers license with expired tags on Tennessee plates he's just let off with a warning more than one time. You have to EXPECT that anything that rolls out of this guys mouth is BS of some sort.

The one person I can talk to about anything is my wife. My general rule is if I'm going to do something that I can't tell my wife about, don't do it. The added caveat is this in on the OP's wife's side of the family, not his. If the OP calls it into LE, I would NOT tell the wife so she doesn't know anything about it. In todays electronic age, I don't think anything is anonymous anymore. Worst case, mail it in to the police department without a return address from a town far away from the town you actually live in.

I'm guessing we all have family like the OP's. Again, best course of action IMO is just to stay away from the drama. I also understand with some family members, that's easier said than done.

 

[D&D]

The one person I can talk to about anything is my wife. My general rule is if I'm going to do something that I can't tell my wife about, don't do it. The added caveat is this in on the OP's wife's side of the family, not his. If the OP calls it into LE, I would NOT tell the wife so she doesn't know anything about it. In todays electronic age, I don't think anything is anonymous anymore. Worst case, mail it in to the police department without a return address from a town far away from the town you actually live in.

Again, best course of action IMO is just to stay away from the drama. I also understand with some family members, that's easier said than done.

IMO, if you can’t trust your wife with the story, it’s not worth doing. No real good will come from reporting this person.

 

[Sigarms]

IMO, if you can’t trust your wife with the story, it’s not worth doing. No real good will come from reporting this person.

I don't see it as a question of trusting your wife, but keeping her out of the potential drama. Since it's "her" family, if she doesn't say anything about it due to not knowing, by common sense she's out of it.

Thing about families though... sometimes you can throw common sense out the window

I just don't see a good play by saying anything to LE about it. The OP is his uncle, and apparently the father knows about it. Up to the father to do or say something IMO family dysfunction or not.

 

[WinterDeere]

Again, age 35... not a "kid". If you're not a man by age 35, I really don't think there's any hope left for you. What were you doing at that age?

 

[2manyrocks]

If you do anything, there could be a very good chance that somehow you will get the blame. He could be tolerated at the next reunion, but you might not be welcome within the family.

 

[Richard]

The rest of the story:

As verified by the ski owner, a check arrived for $5,000 yesterday.

I don't know what went on conversationally with the kid.... I'm still 100% convinced he would have pushed this under the rug if he could have (still being irresponsible) BUT, seems enough chatter was done within the family.... my wife went to her brother and wife (kids parents) who were not at this reunion, let them know what happened and said "you need to go parent your kid..."

Did they chime in? No clue (hope they did)

Either way, he either honorably took care of it or was pressured to take care of it BUT, he took care of it.


Weekend after it happened, I told my wifes cousin (owner of the ski) I'd help him drain the engine as it likely ingested water (it was totally submersed, floating upside down)

He thought he could just change the oil....I said nope, you really want to make sure there's no water in the cylinders before you do anything.

He pulled the plugs, touched the starter and WHOOSH, it shot water streams almost 10 feet in the air. He's got most of the water out but I don't think he can get it all out that way.

None the less... he's got the funds now so this is a salvage thing to see if he can maybe save the engine or something, otherwise, the saga is over.

Oh, and the kid who sent the $5,000 was retorting back that it's no big deal, after all he just put $100K down on a house.... which is interesting as he doesn't have a job, doubt he's filed any taxes yet is always flush with cash.

Who, me cynical that he's stopped dealing?

 

[2manyrocks]

The good news is no one got personally injured this time.

 

[two_bit_score]

As verified by the ski owner, a check arrived for $5,000 yesterday.

Glad to hear the happy ending!

 

[tradosaurus]

The rest of the story:

As verified by the ski owner, a check arrived for $5,000 yesterday.

I don't know what went on conversationally with the kid.... I'm still 100% convinced he would have pushed this under the rug if he could have (still being irresponsible) BUT, seems enough chatter was done within the family.... my wife went to her brother and wife (kids parents) who were not at this reunion, let them know what happened and said "you need to go parent your kid..."

Did they chime in? No clue (hope they did)

Either way, he either honorably took care of it or was pressured to take care of it BUT, he took care of it.


Weekend after it happened, I told my wifes cousin (owner of the ski) I'd help him drain the engine as it likely ingested water (it was totally submersed, floating upside down)

He thought he could just change the oil....I said nope, you really want to make sure there's no water in the cylinders before you do anything.

He pulled the plugs, touched the starter and WHOOSH, it shot water streams almost 10 feet in the air. He's got most of the water out but I don't think he can get it all out that way.

None the less... he's got the funds now so this is a salvage thing to see if he can maybe save the engine or something, otherwise, the saga is over.

Oh, and the kid who sent the $5,000 was retorting back that it's no big deal, after all he just put $100K down on a house.... which is interesting as he doesn't have a job, doubt he's filed any taxes yet is always flush with cash.

Who, me cynical that he's stopped dealing?

Sounds like the parents of the rotten kid gave him the $5K to send to the jet ski owner.

 

[Richard]

Sounds like the parents of the rotten kid gave him the $5K to send to the jet ski owner.

Not to belabor a thread that's withering.... but I don't believe this wouild be the case.

They lost 100% belongs in hurricain Katrina (New Orleans area) and bluntly, have never really recovered. Wife/Mother was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer so they've been battling that (I think it's now considered in remission)

They've got too many issues themselves to cover him like that. (at least that's my understanding)

<shrugs shoulders>

I'll never know 100% but I'm comfortable that the kid forked up....after all, what did it cost him? All he had to do was (likely) go out and make a couple of sales....