A 16-year-old boy died in a tragic boating accident on Lake Pyramid, and police have arrested a 29-year-old Encino man and charged him with vessel manslaughter.
According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, the boy was riding a jet ski on July 1, 2012 when a boat driven by the Encino resident struck him. Allegedly, the boy had just left a “no wake” zone on the lake and was speeding up when his personal watercraft lost power and stalled. Officials report that the boy was almost immediately struck by the boat after he stopped.
The teen was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he remained for 40 days until he finally succumbed from his injuries.
The driver of the boat was arrested in April and is currently free on $25,000 bond.
In 2010, there were 570 reported boating accidents in the state of California. All in all, 283 people were injured and 49 people lost their lives in these accidents. Statistically, the majority of these accidents were caused by operator inattention, excessive speed, and operator inexperience.
As temperatures warm up and summer approaches, more and more people will be enjoying water recreation in Southern California. Unfortunately, since there is a lack of traffic signals and speed limit signs on the water, many boat and watercraft operators believe this gives them carte blanche to act recklessly. Couple that with operator intoxication and it is a recipe for disaster.
The boating accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand understand that boating accidents happen for a variety of reasons and in a variety of contexts. If you’ve been injured in a boating accident due to the negligence of another person, it is important that you seek legal representation quickly. We are dedicated to protecting your legal rights.
We can be reached at our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 or our Encino office at (818) 981-3530 or simply contact us online to arrange a free and confidential consultation. You do not pay any legal fees unless we win your case.