One person was killed, and 10 others injured after a speed boat crashed into a rock jetty in Southern California on July 3rd. The Long Beach Fire Department said in a news release that the 48-foot boat crashed into the Alamitos Bay jetty around 9:20 p.m. in the evening under the cover of darkness. It was not immediately clear how many people were on board according the emergency responders.

One person was declared deceased at the scene of the crash while the other victims were transported to local hospitals. Three of the victims were considered to be in critical condition at the scene and transported accordingly. Investigators did not specify a cause of the accident in their initial release. The lead investigator, Long Beach Fire Department Capt. Jack Crabtree told the Los Angeles Times that speed was likely a factor, with preliminary reports suggesting the boat was traveling at roughly 40 mph. Captain Crabtree added an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

As in a case such as this, even responsible, well-trained boaters are often injured by the carelessness of those who are not. Once on the water, many boat drivers are more concerned about what is happening on the boat and are less aware of what is going on around them.  Since boats do not react like cars, it’s hard for the driver to stop the boat or turn it in time to avoid a collision with another boat or rock jetty.

Safety, sobriety and boating at a reasonable speed may matter more on a boat than anywhere else and the liability and driving under the influence laws are virtually identical. Boat captains should always wear an approved safety vest and require every passenger wear an approved vest as well, no matter the objection or how strong a swimmer they say they are. The captain is responsible for all of the passengers and may be held accountable if something goes wrong. If you are injured as a result of someone else’s actions call the harbor police and request assistance and gather as much information as possible. Enjoy your time on the water!

We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others.  At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We would be honored to represent you!