Two Dead Following Boat Collision.

[Stoneroller]

http://thesouthern.com/news/local/one-missing-two-badly-hurt-in-rend-lake-boat-crash/article_7b0489c6-c00f-11e1-87e8-001a4bcf887a.html

FRANKLIN COUNTY, IL - Two people are now confirmed dead as a result of a boat collision Tuesday afternoon on Rend Lake, Franklin County Coroner Marty Leffler said.

The body of Larry Smithhart, 38, of West Melbourne, Fla. was found at 10:10 a.m. Wednesday in 8 feet of water in the Gun Creek area of the lake, which is near the intersection of Illinois 154 and Interstate 57. Officials pronounced him dead at 11:42 a.m., Leffler said.

Smithhart was associated with the company Bombadier Recreational Products and Vehicles, which specializes in watercraft and which has a facility in Benton.

Smithhart was with another person -- a woman also associated with Bombadier, who a St. Louis medical examiner identified as Teresa Perez -- test driving one of two speed boats at about 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, when it collided with another test boat at full throttle on the water.

The woman, who was found on a nearby shore, was taken to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment of severe injuries. Leffler confirmed Wednesday morning she died from those injuries.

Officials are still investigating the accident, but preliminary reports suggest Smithhart's boat was knocked inland about 30 yards.

Three individuals who have not yet been identified were on the second boat. One suffered major injuries and was airlifted to a hospital, one suffered lesser injuries, and the third was not injured, according to earlier reports from authorities.

A search by water, air and land continued as night fell Tuesday, while the ground search was suspended later in the evening, Franklin County Sheriff Don Jones said.

Agencies involved in the effort included the sheriff’s department, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois State Police, Sesser Fire Department and dive teams from Rend Lake and Benton.