Category Archives: Boating Accidents

Boating Accident Kills One and Injuries Another

Recently, a 21-foot ski boat in Lake Lanier struck a couple’s boat killing a 59-year-old man, Stephen Jones, and seriously injuring the woman.  Steven Parker and Ashley LeBlanc were the occupants of the ski boat.  They were crossing the lake just after midnight when they struck the other boat.  Multiple rescue boats immediately started to look for the couple’s boat and the Gwinnett Police Aviation Unit helped as well.  Approximately thirty minutes later, the couple’s bodies were found.

Investigators are now going over the two boats to determine who is at fault for the fatal accident.  They are looking at gauges, safety light bulbs and send away for blood tests.  This is not the first fatality on Lake Lanier this year though.  This is the third.  They have yet to state whether the people on the ski boat were on drugs or alcohol.

Widow and Coast Guard Civilly Sue Lobsterman

In June 2010, Phil Torrey, a lobsterman, crashed into another lobster boat and killed a man, aged 71.  Torrey has admitted to eating his lunch and not paying attention to where his boat was headed when the incident occurred.  Torrey’s boat cut the other into two and it quickly sank.  The widow and the Coast Guard are now suing Torrey for damages.  The Coast Guard is suing for $30,000, the maximum allowed, for Torrey’s negligence.

However, Torrey claims that the other boat was supposed to give way to his.  This is really the only defense he has.  The widow is suing for the funeral and burial expenses, and emotion distress incurred from losing her companion.  Torrey changed her life forever.