Boat Operator Gets Jail Time for Accident

A tugboat pilot was sentenced to a year and a day in prison when his negligence caused a boat accident that took the lives of two tourists. The tugboat pilot was pulling a 250 foot sludge barge down a river when the barge collided with a disabled sightseeing duck boat. The collision caused all 35 passengers and two crew members of the duck boat to be plunged into the river and two tourists, a 16-year-old and a 20-year-old, were killed in the accident.

In court the tugboat pilot admitted that he had been distracted by his cell phone and his laptop for a significant amount of time leading up to the collision. He also admitted that he was piloting the tugboat from the lower wheelhouse where he had significantly decreased visibility. The man told the court that he did not maintain a proper lookout or comply with other rules of tugboat piloting.

The tugboat pilot could have received up to four years in prison for his actions but instead received just one year and a three-year supervised release thereafter.

Hurt during a serious boat accident? Was negligence involved? Know what legal options you have by contacting the Law Offices of Mark Bush to enlist the advice and representation of a San Diego personal injury lawyer from our team.