Grand Lake Boating Accident

[Quillback]

Be careful out there!

http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/grand-river-dam-authority-2-boats-collide-on-oklahomas-grand-lake

[ollie]

Me thinks alcohol is probably involved in this one, but maybe not. Tragic loss for not paying attention.

[fishinwrench]

Well if there was a single beer cap on board they'll claim "alcohol involvement", but seriously how hammered would you have to be to hit a docked houseboat at 3/4 throttle?

I'm giving the driver the benefit of doubt.

Here is how a broken shift cable can cause something like this:

Driver is easing into a docking area, shifts into reverse to stop the boat, cable breaks and boat is still powering forward, driver panics and goes for more throttle in reverse, boat speeds forward....Crash!

But because there was a beer in the cupholder "the crash happened because of alcohol".

I'm not defending drunken boating but I hope they investigate further than the cupholder and .08% toxicology findings.

There are 2 shift cables and a shift converter on that Mercruiser I/O and that relates to 9 areas of potential shift failure while still allowing throttle advance in either direction.

[ollie]

well, just as I had expected. The report was released either yesterday or today and the driver of the boat was intoxicated and had anti-depressants in him. I wanted to be wrong wrench, but apparently he was loaded. Eye witness account of the other passengers told of him consuming about a 12 pack, tequila, and an anti-depressant (probably Xanax). Nothing was found defective on the boat as far as steering or anything else. Human error. I would venture to say he is now looking at manslaughter.

[Quillback]

Wow that guy was really loaded, if he has a conscience this will be with him for the rest of his life.

[Feathers and Fins]

No sympathy from me to the Driver at all ever.... They need to be charged with murder!

[ollie]

Here is a link from the Grove newspaper.

http://grandlakenews.com/article_78c80a2a-2f3f-5689-a0a6-1abb0ca85273.html

[fishinwrench]

Well if there was a single beer cap on board they'll claim "alcohol involvement", but seriously how hammered would you have to be to hit a docked houseboat at 3/4 throttle?

Well.... guess that answered that.

And none of those "brilliant passengers" realized he was wasted. Major Bummer.

[exiledguide]

"When you get on the whiskey, let somebody else drive" John Anderson

I have nothing but contempt for anyone who choses to drink and drive either a car motorcycle or boat. Until we get prosecuting attorneys with some balls this story will be repeated again and again.

I agree with Feathers and Fins. Too often you hear some butthole judge or Prosecutor say that this is a good young man or woman who made a mistake, took a wrong turn etc. and should not have their future ruined because of this mistake or wrong turn.