The parents of 10-year-old Jack Gear have reached a mediated settlement with the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, according to the family’s attorney. Gear was fatally injured in a jet ski collision on Old Hickory Lake in July 2024, and his parents had filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking $10 million.
An attorney for the Gear family told WSMV that the case was resolved in mediation, with the settlement amount kept confidential. According to the station, the Boy Scouts agreed to pay court costs as part of the deal. The attorney added that, even with the resolution, “nothing will replace the hole in the hearts of Jack’s parents.”
How the Crash Unfolded on Old Hickory Lake
The collision happened on July 16, 2024, when two personal watercraft collided near the Boxwell Reservation during a Tennessee National Guard youth program, leaving Gear critically injured, according to The Tennessean. Hoodline previously reported on Gear’s death earlier in 2024, chronicling the initial response and the outpouring of grief from the community.
In their civil complaint, Gear’s parents accused camp staffers and the council of negligence and reckless conduct. The lawsuit claimed that one of the personal watercraft was being operated at a high rate of speed and argued that safety protocols at the camp fell short of what was needed to protect children on the water.
Criminal Pleas and Courtroom Fallout
While the civil case moved forward, criminal charges were filed as well. Two former camp staffers were indicted and, in mid-2025, entered guilty pleas to felony reckless homicide, receiving two-year suspended sentences under plea agreements, NewsChannel 5 reported…