This is a sordid tale. Besides my running lights, I always use a big flashlight to paint my sails with some flickering light, even when I feel pretty certain the guy sees me.
Dave S. (Demitri) On 10/22/08 6:42 PM, "Joe McCary" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > It is good to learn that justice prevails. I have to wonder at what cost in > lawyer¹s fees etc. And I wonder was there any actions to the Sheriff¹s > Department for their total botching of the investigation? > > > > Joe McCary > Aeolus II, West River, MD #4795 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > On Behalf Of Philip J Agur > > > > This month¹s Seaworthy (a Boat US publication) features the straightened out > story of a collision between a 27 foot sailboat and a 24 foot 385hp Baja > Outlaw after dark. Much of the early reporting was in error, even in Latitude > 38 and on the SF based TV coverage because the owner/operator of the Baja is > the number 2 official at the Lake County Sheriff¹s department. > > Initial coverage was exactly what the Sheriff¹s Department was willing to > document, a head-on collision between a drunken sailboat operator running with > no lights and an off duty Lake County Deputy Sheriff. Except for the > forensics, the death of a woman on the sailboat, the eye witnesses that > weren¹t allowed to give a statement coming forward, and maritime law it would > have been an open and shut case. > > The Lake County DA is still charging the guest who had his hand on the tiller > at the time with manslaughter even though forensics on the stern light > filament shows it was on when broken, the speed limit on the lake after dark > was 5 MPH, the damaged speedometer on the Baja is jammed at 50 MPH, the > sailboat was under sail, the sailboat was struck from the rear, and the owner > of the Baja was allowed to elude an on the spot breathalyzer test and the > blood drawn later at the hospital went for an hour ride with the suspect > before being logged into evidence. > > It¹s a two year old case and the civil suites and insurance claims have been > settled. The only person involved that received no payout was the Sheriff¹s > Deputy who was the owner operator of the speeding Baja Outlaw. > > Morale of the story, don¹t let anything obscure your navigation lights (check > them every time), keep an active watch and if you hear someone coming read > their navigation lights, and don¹t just sit there if you¹re in the path. > Navigation lights are often lost in the shore lights so be prepare to do > something different. Fire up a strobe or a 1,000,000 candle power spotlight > and get yourself seen. > > Eventually being vindicated will never make up for the person that died on the > sailboat no matter who was at fault. > > Phil Agur s/v Wing Tip > <http://www.catalina27.org/public_pages/profile270.htm> > Secretary, Call Sign WCW3485 > IC27/270A MMSI 366901790 > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 3547 (20081022) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com >
