Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Impairment Likely Caused Deadly Boating Accident
Police have released information about a deadly boat crash on Harris Lake. The accident happened near the Cross Point Access Area, a popular swimming area in Harris Lake. The driver of the boat ran into swimmers, killing a young girl and severely injuring her friend’s mother. Harris Lake, also called Shearon Harris Reservoir, is a popular recreational area located south of Raleigh. Harris Lake Park includes paths for hiking and biking, areas for picnicking, and lake fishing and boating, as well as other activities.
How Did the Accident Happen?
The deadly boating accident happened at about 4:30 in the afternoon. Police report that the boat driver was towing a tuber and was accelerating while looking back when he plowed into swimmers in the water. A girl and her mother were the two victims of the crash. Several others jumped into the water to assist the injured people. The man was driving his girlfriend’s boat at the time of the crash. A ten-year-old girl was killed, and her friend’s mother was airlifted to a hospital with critical injuries. The mother had to have her leg amputated and was listed in critical condition.
Boater Showed Signs of Impairment
According to reports, the operator of the boat showed signs of impairment immediately after the accident. He had glassy eyes and smelled of alcohol. The police found 39 empty beer cans in the boat and about 50 empty beer cans nearby. Some of the beer cans showed signs of having been shotgunned. Shotgunning is a method of quickly drinking a beer by punching a hole near the bottom of the can. Reports state that the driver may have attempted to remove a number of beer cans from the boat right after the accident.
Boat Operator and Boat Owner Arrested
Boating accidents are handled by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, with assistance in this case from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Deputies took the boat operator into custody at the scene of the accident. He has been charged with several crimes including felony charges of operating a motor vessel while under the influence of an impairing substance, unintentionally causing the death of another, as well as reckless driving and DWI.
The driver has had numerous previous charges for DWI and speeding dating back to the early 2000s as well as a conviction for DWI in New Mexico in 2010. He was currently out on bond for pending felony hit and run charges in Moore County. The judge in the recent charges set bond at $500,000 and stipulated that if the driver gets out on bond, he is not allowed to drive any type of vehicle.
The owner of the boat has also been arrested in the incident. The boat owner is the girlfriend of the boat’s driver and was present at the time of the crash. She is charged with aiding and abetting felony death by impaired boating, aiding and abetting felony serious injury by impaired boating, and aiding and abetting DWI – motor boat, vessel. She is being held in jail on a $500,000 bond. She is responsible for allowing an impaired driver to operate her boat.
If you or someone you love was injured in an accident that was not your fault, you may be owed compensation for your damages. Call us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to request a consultation.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/boat-1370911
See Our Related Video from our YouTube channel:
See Our Related Blog Posts: