1 gravely hurt, 1 arrested after road rage incident at Hudson boat launch

HUDSON, Wis. -- Police in western Wisconsin say an arrest has been made after a road rage incident left two people injured -- and one of them in grave condition.

UPDATE: Charges say Thaddeus Smith drunkenly hit, dragged bystander with car after Hudson road rage altercation

According to the Hudson Police Department, officers were dispatched just before 11 p.m. Sunday to the Hudson Lakefront Park boat launch, located at 305 First St., on the report of a fight. Police said the fight "appeared to have stemmed from a road rage type incident" while a big crowd watched the fireworks and celebrated "Booster Days."

RELATED: What is good boating and boat launch etiquette? Here are some tips and guidelines

One person fled in their vehicle and struck two pedestrians, police said. One was critically wounded and the other was treated and released. Officers later caught up with the suspected driver and arrested him.

"I was definitely surprised to hear the news because I was here until probably an hour before it happened and, I mean, it was pretty calm all day," said Ky Oborn of Hudson.

Boaters say ramps in and out of the water are places where manners and good citizenship rule, especially during these busy holiday weekends.

"Good etiquette is important at the boat launch as far as I'm concerned," said boater Cory Hartje. "Please and thank you goes a long way, being polite and asking if it's your turn."

The St. Croix River is expected to be crowded as long as the weather is good. Boaters are expected to follow certain rules on and off the water. 

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Numerous boat ramp behavior guides can be found on the internet, with titles ranging from "Are You That Guy? - A Discussion on Ramp Etiquette," and "Boat Ramp Etiquette 101." 

Perhaps the most basic rules are to be sure your boat is ready before you get on the ramp, and be respectful of other boaters.

WCCO has reached out to the Hudson Police Department, but they didn't get back to us.

The names of the two people who were hurt and the name of the person arrested have not been released.

Esme Murphy

Esme Murphy, a reporter and Sunday morning anchor for WCCO-TV, has been a member of the WCCO-TV staff since December 1990. She is also a weekend talk show host on WCCO Radio. Born and raised in New York City, Esme ventured into reporting after graduating from Harvard University.

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