Boise & Garden City

Father facing felony charges after boy fell off jet ski, died in Lucky Peak Lake

Lucky Peak Lake saw multiple drownings over the summer, and one has led to charges for a man who was operating a jet ski.
Lucky Peak Lake saw multiple drownings over the summer, and one has led to charges for a man who was operating a jet ski. Statesman file

Three months after his son died in Lucky Peak Lake, a Boise father is facing two felony charges.

On July 18, 36-year-old Vyla Sichulailuck and his 16-year-old son, Bobby, were riding a jet ski on the lake when they hit a wave. Bobby fell off and never resurfaced, and his body was found Aug. 3, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office.

Sichulailuck was arrested on Monday, Oct. 24, in connection with the incident and faces two felony counts of injury to a child.

One charge is the result of Sichulailuck’s allegedly driving the jet ski while under the influence of alcohol; a blood test determined that his blood alcohol content was 0.135, Patrick Orr, Ada County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, told the Idaho Statesman in an email. The legal limit is 0.08 for operating a motorized vehicle.

The second count resulted from Sichulailuck’s not having Bobby wear a life jacket, despite knowing neither he nor the boy could swim, according to Orr.

The Ada County Prosecutor’s Office secured an arrest warrant last month and Sichulailuck turned himself in at the Ada County Jail on Oct. 24, officials said.

This story was originally published October 25, 2022 at 5:26 PM.

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Sally Krutzig
Idaho Statesman
Reporter Sally Krutzig covers local government, growth and breaking news for the Idaho Statesman. She previously covered the Idaho State Legislature for the Post Register. Support my work with a digital subscription
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