08-08-13 LAKE POWELL, UT Logan man run over, killed in Lake Powell boating accident A Logan man was killed in a boating accident in a remote area of Lake Powell Thur. (08-08). About 8 p.m., near the Dangling Rope Marina, David Hinton, 23, was at the front of a boat when he was tossed from the vessel after the boat struck a shallow rock. He was then run over by the boat he was ejected from, said Utah State Parks spokesman Eugene Swalberg. Hinton was pronounced dead at the scene. Swalberg warned boaters to maneuver more cautiously with the low water levels at Lake Powell. "You need to adjust your operating speed of the boat and become more familiar with the area you are boating in," Swalberg said. "It happened near sunset so you need to be more cautious with low water and low light." Read full story here.
08-09-13 STEARNS COUNTY, MI 2 injured in boating accident on Cedar Island Lake Two people were sent to the hosp. after a boating accident Fri. evening (08-09) on Cedar Island Lake. According to the Stearns Co. Sheriff’s Office, 35-y/o David Hanle, son of Barbara Hanle, 56, of Richmond received non-life-threatening injuries after the boat they were in struck the shoreline. The sheriff’s office reports David Hanle was driving an Allison runabout boat and lost control after hitting the wake of a passing watercraft just after 5:30 p.m. Both Hanles were transported to St. Cloud Hosp. for treatment. As of 10 p.m. Fri., David was reported by hosp. staff to be in fair condition while Barbara was treated and released.Read full story here.
08-07-13 PAWNEE LAKE, NE Man cited for boating crash at Pawnee Lake A Ukrainian man has been cited with negligent boating in connection with an accident Wed. (08-07) on Pawnee Lake that injured 2 people. The Nebraska Game and Parks Comm. cited Valentyn Siny, 37, for operating a PWC that collided with a girl, 14, and a woman, 51, who were on separate tubes being pulled by a boat. The 2, both from Lincoln, were wearing lifejackets and were released after treatment for minor injuries. Read full story here.
08-10-13 LONG ISLAND, NY Ninive Petrocelli, 39, found dead in waters off Montauk Point The Suffolk police Homicide Squad and East Hampton police are investigating the death of a Manhattan contractor's wife, whose body was pulled from the Atlantic Ocean Sun. (08-11-13) after falling off a recreational boat Sat. night (08-10). The body of Ninive Petrocelli, 39, was found by a boater who notified authorities a little after 11:30 a.m., Suffolk police said. Her husband, John Petrocelli, 54, president and founder of Petrocelli Construction Corp. of Palisades Park, N.J., who was on the boat with her, reported her missing in Block Island Sound about midnight Sat., some 2 1/2 mi. off Montauk Point. Her body was found about 3 nautical mi. S. of Montauk--about 5 nm. from where she had been reported missing. She fell off the stern of the boat, called In the Clutch, USCG spokesman Petty Officer Erik Swanson said. Public records show the boat is a 1999 46 1/2-ft. Carver. The boat is owned by Frank Monte of N. Bergen, N.J. Monte is listed on the Petrocelli company website as chief financial officer and general manager of the construction company. A woman who identified herself as a relative of Monte said the boat is a company-owned vessel. She did not want to comment further on the Petrocellis when reached by phone Sun. night. The couple lived on Central Park West. Ninive Petrocelli was the owner of Cristol Inc., an architectural glass wholesale distribution company, according to the company's website. The company has a midtown Manhattan showroom. Ninive Petrocelli was not using a lifejacket, Swanson said. The Suffolk Co. Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death. Read full story here.
08-10-13 SEAFORD, NY Seaford woman dies after fall into canal An 86-year-old Seaford woman died after she slipped and fell into a canal behind her house while cleaning the family boat, Nassau police said. Lorraine Auld was found by her husband, Thomas, 85, wedged between the dock and the bulkhead Saturday. A neighbor called 911, and police tried to revive her. She was taken to St. Joseph Hosp. in Bethpage, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined Auld died from drowning, police said. The couple loved boating together, Auld said, and his wife especially loved to fish. She was cleaning their current boat, a 25-ft. Parker, Thomas said, when the accident occurred. The couple has owned about 15 boats since they moved to Seaford in 1973. While they hadn't been out on the boat much this summer, Auld said, in prior summers the pair went out every other weekend. Read full story here.
Yuba Co. Sheriff's Sgt. Wence Kemp said Mon. (08-12) that the men were thrown into the water after their boat hit another boat's wake at a difficult angle at the Bullards Bar Reservoir Sun. afternoon (08-11).
Kemp says the dept's Marine Enforcement Unit arrived quickly and found one boater, 39-y/o George Szuh of Roseville, who was taken to a hosp. Kemp had no further information on his injuries. Searchers are still seeking the other boater, 30-y/o Matthew Camp of Lincoln. State fire Battalion Chief Mike Carr says rescuers have been searching for Camp in a part of the reservoir that is more than 100 ft. deep. Read full story here.
08-11-13 ANTIOCH, CA Man dies after boating collision in Delta A 57-y/o man died Sun. (08-11) after 2 PWCs collided in the Delta. The man, according to a preliminary investigation, was riding a Jet Ski in the area of Franks Tract and Sand Mound Slough around 1:48 p.m. when he collided with someone on a Wave Runner, according to the Contra Costa Co. Sheriff's Marine Patrol. He was put in another person's boat, given CPR on the way to the Sugar Barge R.V. Resort and Marina, and then taken to Sutter Delta Med. Center in Antioch, where he later died. No one involved in the crash had boating education, said Lt. Doug Powell of the marine patrol. The crash remains under investigation. The operator of the Wave Runner is cooperating with authorities. Read full story here.
08-10-13 KEY LARGO, FL Off-duty local firefighters rescue boaters in Key Largo boating accident From about 500 ft. away, Jacksonville firefighter Matt McCormack said he could see a boat full of people bailing frantically. “The whole front of the boat was nosing down in the water,” he said on the phone from the Florida Keys, where he and some fellow firefighters were lobster fishing Sat. (08-10). “They were bailing water out of the boat by the coolerful.” From their boat, McCormack and St. Johns Co. Fire Rescue Lt. Marc Grabbert started gathering people out the water.
The 5 firefighters and a 15-y/o nephew of one of the men headed for the rapidly sinking boat, where by then all 6 occupants were in the water. “There was trash and seat cushions and people everywhere,” McCormack said. He said they called the USCG and 2 of the firefighters went into the water to help the victims, who were on an outing from Fort Lauderdale. No one was harmed and all got aboard the 22-ft. center console fishing boat belonging to Jacksonville firefighter David Squires. McCormack said the wind had been blowing at 15 kts. or more and seas were 4 ft. or higher. They were about 6 mi. off Key Largo and in about 25 ft. of water. He said it appeared the other boat became swamped and sank. After the rescue, the firefighters dove down to the submerged boat, which was standing on end because it likely had a pocket of air trapped in the bow. They retrieved fishing poles and some other items for the survivors. McCormack said he didn’t get the names of the people who were rescued, but a towing boat that heard the distress call arrived at the scene, hooked onto the 23-ft. boat, and pulled it to shore. The rescued boaters reunited with the firefighters and took a picture in front of the once-submerged boat after returning to shore. In addition to McCormack, Grabbert and Squires, Jacksonville firefighters Scott Holechek and Harry Strayer were in on the rescue along with Squires’ nephew Brett Squires. Read full story here.
08-11-13 SARPY COUNTY, NE Husband accused of boating drunk in Sarpy County; wife injured An Ashland, Neb., man was arrested on suspicion of BUI Sun. night (08-11) after his wife was injured while tubing on a private lake in Sarpy Co. David Stander, 45, was booked into the Sarpy Co. Jail with a blood-alcohol level of .147. Jennifer Stander was taken to the Nebraska Med. Center by helicopter with an injury that was not thought to be life threatening, according to the Sarpy Co. Sheriff's Office. Sheriff's Lt. Mark Trapp said rescue personnel were called to a lake in the area of 252nd Street and Fairview Road about 8 p.m. Deputies determined that Jennifer Stander was among 3 people being pulled on an inner tube by a jet boat driven by David Stander. The tube hit a wake and a male rider was thrown from the tube. The male rider then struck the other 2 riders in the head with his knees. Jennifer Stander, may have been knocked unconscious briefly, Trapp said. Read full story here.
08-10-13 ALLEN COUNTY, KY Monroe County man drowns in boating accident Authorities found the body of a Monroe Co. man who drowned after a boating accident on Barren River Sat. night (08-10). Shane Green, 26, drowned after the boat he and Daniel Cherry of Scottsville, were operating hit a log while the men were night fishing, according to Allen Co. Emergency Mgm.t director Gary Petty and Allen Co. Coroner Darren Davis. Both men were ejected from the boat after it hit the log, according to Petty. A nearby boater came to assist them and put Cherry into his boat. “It was just an unfortunate accident,” Petty said. At about 10 p.m., authorities received word of the incident and responded. Allen Co. Emergency Mgmt., Allen Co. Sheriff’s Dept., Scottsville-Allen County Rescue Squad, Allen County Constables, Scottsville-Allen County Fire Department, Cedar Springs VFD Nos. 1 and 2 and Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife all went to the scene. Authorities found Green around 12:45 a.m. Sun. (08-11). Cherry was not injured. Petty said it did not appear that either of the men was wearing a lifejacket, and drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors. Petty said recent high waters and an excess of debris have made conditions on the water more hazardous than usual.
“We urge all the fishermen and boaters on the lake to wear a PFD when they’re fishing on the waterway,” Petty said.Read full story here.
08-11-13 BLOUNT COUNTY, TN 2 Injured In Blount County Boating Accident The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is investigating a serious injury boating accident involving 2 female passengers that happened on Ft. Loudon Lake in Blount Co. TWRA Officer Jeff Pearce reports that just after 11 a.m., a PWC carrying 2 teenaged females struck a stationary private dock on Little River Wheeler Rd. One of the occupants was possibly ejected from the PWC and both sustained non-life threatening injuries. The operator had not taken the mandatory boating safety course; however, both occupants were wearing lifejackets. Read full story here.
08-10-13 ROCKVILLE, MN Boating Crash Leaves Two People Hurt Two people were hurt in a boating accident on Grand Lake Sat. afternoon (08-10). The Stearns Co. Sheriff’s Office says a boat driven by 79-y/o Clarence Bloch of Cold Spring sideswiped another boat with 3 occupants.
One of the passengers in that boat, 56-y/o Linda Beckrich of Cold Spring, was taken by ambulance to St. Cloud Hosp. Another passenger, 20-y/o Michael Beckrich, also of Cold Spring, was taken to the hosp. by the driver, 56-y/o Greg Beckrich who was not hurt. Bloch was not hurt. Read full story here.
08-12-13 PORT JERVIS, NY Two rescued after canoe gets lodged on rocks on Delaware River island Two people had to be rescued Mon. (08-12) after their canoe got stuck on some rocks on a small island in the Delaware River. They were paddling S. of the Port Jervis-Matamoras Bridge about noon when the canoe got stuck. They were afraid to get out of the boat, officials said, so firefighters from several nearby depts. on both sides of the Delaware River had to assist them. Read full story here.
AUGUST 2013 Seated sobriety test, tougher laws take aim at drunken boaters “Boatweiser”, “Aqua-holic”, “Cirrhosis Of The River”. Some of the most celebrated boat names on the Internet are telling of society’s acceptance toward drinking on the open water. “A six-pack of beer and boating go together like a peanut butter and jelly. There are still a lot of people who think that’s just the way it is,” says John Fetterman, law enforcement director with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). Fatal boat accidents where alcohol is believed to have played a role seem relentless this time of year. Last week, a 33-y/o Idaho woman died when the jet boat she was riding in ran aground off the Snake River near Idaho Falls. Police suspect the vessel’s driver was drunk. In late July, a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man were killed in a crash on the Hudson River in New Jersey. Police have alleged that the man piloting the powerboat was intoxicated and are awaiting the result of blood tests. Alcohol use has been the top contributing factor in fatal boating accidents for the past 15 years, according to the USCG. Since 2003, on average, 124 people have died each year in the U.S. in accidents where alcohol was to blame. A strategic plan by the CG, overseer of the congressionally mandated National Recreational Boating Safety Program, calls for a 5% overall reduction in the number of alcohol-related deaths by 2016. “With this many fatalities, it’s never not been a priority for us,” says Joe Carro, a CG boating safety specialist. “We’re going at it the best we can.” Part of the CG’s plan has been to give state and local agencies better tools to combat BUI. Marine officers in 38 states are now using a CG-funded seated sobriety test. The battery of evaluations includes suspects touching their fingers to their noses and following palm pat instructions, among other things, while seated in their boats. “When you’re out on a boat, it’s pretty hard to have somebody walk the white line,” says Fetterman, whose organization trains states on how to administer the test. Some states are also making strides on tougher boating under the influence laws. In May, Georgia lowered its blood-alcohol limit for boaters from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent, the same threshold used by most states. Michigan, Wyoming and North Dakota still use 0.10 percent, according to NASBLA. Last month, Illinois became the 15th state to pass legislation making it possible to punish drunken boaters by revoking their automobile driver’s licenses.
The Illinois crackdown came about after a boater who was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine ran over and killed 10-y/o Tony Borcia in July 2012. The boy was tubing behind a pontoon boat when he fell off into the water. Tony, wearing a red lifejacket, was bobbing in the water and waving his arms while waiting for his father and siblings to retrieve him when David Hatyina, then 50, sped right over the top of him. Hatyna was sentenced to 10 yrs. in prison. His boat was called ‘Purple Haze’. Read full story here.
08-11-13 MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ 5 injured in boat explosion on Saguaro The Maricopa Co. Sheriff's Office is investigating the cause of a boat explosion at Saguaro Lake Sun. afternoon (08-11). According to MCSO spokesman Joaquin Enriquez, Roderick Harrison was launching his 21-ft. Donzi Regatta at boat ramp No. 1 at about 1:30 p.m. His 14-y/o sister and 3 other people were onboard. Enriquez said prior to starting the boat, Harrison had turned on the vent fan and lifted the engine hatch. The fan and hatch were open for 2-3 min. before he started the engine. As soon as Harrison turned the ignition, there was an explosion in the engine compartment, injuring all 3 passengers. Their injuries were not considered life threatening. Two of the female occupants were transported to Maricopa Med. Center for minor burns and other injuries. Harrison's sister, Tiffani Maggard, suffered additional injuries to her legs, including a possible fractured ankle. At the time of the explosion, the boat was in the water but still tied to the boat trailer. Enriquez said Harrison got everyone off of the boat and then unhooked the boat from the trailer. The boat burned to the waterline and was destroyed. In addition, part of the dock at the boat ramp was burned. At this time, it does not appear that drugs or alcohol were factors in the accident. Saguaro Lake is located E. of the Valley in the Tonto National Forest. Read full story here.
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