Maryland officials prepare for busy weekend on the waterways

Heading into the Fourth of July weekend, the authorities expect to hand out hundreds of safety citations on Maryland's waterways.

There have been a total of 12 deaths on the water in Maryland this year – six of them in just the last week.

A husband and wife from Reston – 53-year-old Jeffrey Sessions and 48-year-old Elizabeth Howle – are the latest.

They died in a jet ski crash in the South River early Wednesday morning.

Officials say that most deaths that occur on the water are preventable. And that's why police will be out in force this weekend, looking for life vests, as well as anyone who is intoxicated at the helm.

Master Sgt. Norris Shannon of the Maryland Natural Resources Police has an important job this week – patrolling the water off of National Harbor.

He'll spend the weekend pulling boaters over to make sure they're staying safe.

Four people died just last weekend – including a Secret Service agent who was kayaking with her boyfriend in Annapolis.

"We want to see people out having fun with their families but we just want you to have a safety mindset approaching it," Shannon said.