Long Lake night navigation accident

[Airwaves]

Was the operator of the boat immediately arrested and jailed after the accident?

If he were not immediately taken into custody then as a defense lawyer I would probably plant the seed of doubt that after such a tramatic experience he threw back a couple of drinks to calm his nerves before the sample was taken, thus tainting the sample.

If he was taken into custody immediately after the boating accident he's looking at BUI resulting in deaths or whatever the legal charge would be in Maine and the BAC would be tough to dispute.

[ApS]

Or perhaps a 11th-hour plea of guilty...

With only one TV station received at my place on Winnipesaukee—and broadcasting from Maine—I wouldn't have known that this Portland trial is in its final day.

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...If he was taken into custody immediately after the boating accident he's looking at BUI resulting in deaths or whatever the legal charge would be in Maine and the BAC would be tough to dispute..."

There are several BAC aspects disclosed in this week-old article:
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/ne...-several-rules

[VitaBene]

The Globe is reporting that the jury hung on the jury hung on the manslaughter charges and he was only found guilty of aggravated OUI.

[BroadHopper]

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news...-while-boating

There could be another trial.

[VitaBene]

I hope there is another trial- Lapointe seems like a menace (22 speeding tickets!!)

[Woodsy]

WOW!

I am not going to defend the guy here, he was drunk and ultimately he killed two people and injured another. However, I think people should take emotion out of it and look at this a little more objectively!

So what if he has 22 speeding tickets? We don't know the circumstances surrounding them. 22 tickets since he started driving (the paper says he is 39 so you gotta figure he has been driving 23+ years) or 22 tickets in the last 3-5 years? Where the tickets issued for doing 40MPH in a 30MPH zone? Or were they issued for doing 80MPH in a 55MPH zone? The reason they were not allowed at trial was because the judge doesnt see any relavance to this accident... I tend to agree with the judge.

If he had a prior DWI... well, thats a different story and that would no doubt be admissable!

I also agree with the deadlocked jurors... I would find it hard to convict someone of vehicular manslaughter if the possibility exists that the victim put themselves in harms way... especially when the boat that was struck is black!! Witnesses for both the prosecution and defense testified that the boat that was struck did not have its stern light on! If the light was in fact off, then 14' boat INTENTIONALLY became a hazard to navigation.

Maybe its me, but sitting in the middle of a lake in a black boat with no stern light during no-light or very low-light conditions is just plain STUPID!

I totally agree with the jurors on the aggravated DWI convictions... no way he was sober! I am surprised they only charged him with 2 counts instead of 3! I thought the girl with him on the boat broke her elbow, and that would qualify for a 3rd count.

All in all its a sad situation for all involved.... 2 people dead, and 3 families that will NEVER be the same!!


Woodsy

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

WOW!

I am not going to defend the guy here, he was drunk and ultimately he killed two people and injured another. However, I think people should take emotion out of it and look at this a little more objectively!

So what if he has 22 speeding tickets? We don't know the circumstances surrounding them. 22 tickets since he started driving (the paper says he is 39 so you gotta figure he has been driving 23+ years) or 22 tickets in the last 3-5 years? Where the tickets issued for doing 40MPH in a 30MPH zone? Or were they issued for doing 80MPH in a 55MPH zone? The reason they were not allowed at trial was because the judge doesnt see any relavance to this accident... I tend to agree with the judge.

If he had a prior DWI... well, thats a different story and that would no doubt be admissable!

I also agree with the deadlocked jurors... I would find it hard to convict someone of vehicular manslaughter if the possibility exists that the victim put themselves in harms way... especially when the boat that was struck is black!! Witnesses for both the prosecution and defense testified that the boat that was struck did not have its stern light on! If the light was in fact off, then 14' boat INTENTIONALLY became a hazard to navigation.

Maybe its me, but sitting in the middle of a lake in a black boat with no stern light during no-light or very low-light conditions is just plain STUPID!

I totally agree with the jurors on the aggravated DWI convictions... no way he was sober! I am surprised they only charged him with 2 counts instead of 3! I thought the girl with him on the boat broke her elbow, and that would qualify for a 3rd count.

All in all its a sad situation for all involved.... 2 people dead, and 3 families that will NEVER be the same!!


Woodsy

Woodsy I am not going to argue the no stern light issue, that is horrible. Also youa are correct-the boat was black. That being said, he was going too fast.... for the conditions because if the conditions allowed (moon) he would have seen the other boat. He was drunk (proven guilty), therefore IMO, a menace. Regardless, I don't want to share the lake with him!

I am not saying he was guilty, only that I hope they re-try it.

Regarding the tickets, I am 44, have a Class A CDL, drive between 40-50K miles a year and have 2 speeding tickets (and I am no slowpoke!). When I see 22 tickets I wonder how many times did he not get stopped.

[Bear Islander]

Woodsy

The defendant testified that shortly before the accident he was stopped to make a phone call and the black boat passed him with no lights on.

That means that when he took off at high speed a minute later he KNEW there was a black boat with no lights out in front of him!

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

Woodsy

The defendant testified that shortly before the accident he was stopped to make a phone call and the black boat passed him with no lights on.

That means that when he took off at high speed a minute later he KNEW there was a black boat with no lights out in front of him!

I think one of the comments made on that site about him wanting to catch up to the other boat probably were spot on. Speculation, but not a bad one.

The 22 tickets is obviously an indication of a problem. He got Caught 22 times, although we don't know the specifics. At any rate, that's quite a bit, and you'd think he'd learn at some point. It didn't help the jury, but we spectators have an advantage there.

The drinking is clearly an issue, as it is in many of these cases. I hope he never gets on a lake again, or even in a car. Although I'm sure he's quite nice and sincere, I'm not buying the story.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by VtSteve

The 22 tickets is obviously an indication of a problem. He got Caught 22 times, although we don't know the specifics. At any rate, that's quite a bit, and you'd think he'd learn at some point. It didn't help the jury, but we spectators have an advantage there.

Seems there's plenty of blame to pass about. A boat w/o lights (if true) ... just plain stupid. Drunken boater ... more than stupid. And 22 speeding tickets ? Speaks to me of incompetent speeding. Where do you go to get 22 tickets and not learn there's a speed trap ? How unaware of your surroundings must you be to get caught 22 times ? I agree they don't mean much re: this specific incident but really....

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by Mee-n-Mac

Seems there's plenty of blame to pass about. A boat w/o lights (if true) ... just plain stupid. Drunken boater ... more than stupid. And 22 speeding tickets ? Speaks to me of incompetent speeding. Where do you go to get 22 tickets and not learn there's a speed trap ? How unaware of your surroundings must you be to get caught 22 times ? I agree they don't mean much re: this specific incident but really....

Exactly. It makes it so much easier to believe what's been said about him too.

[jrc]

Taking this one step at a time, the aggravated OUI charge seemes like a slam dunk. He was clearly over the limit, he hit the other boat, people were killed, go directly to jail.

The other charges require the jurors to make judgement calls. Was he being reckless and negligent or just careless. Did the victim contribute to his own death by having no lights. Think of people you know and imagine them on the jury. They see this man in front of them, he doesn't look like a bad man, he looks like someone that had a few too many and made a mistake. They don't know the victims, after a long trial they know him. It's not hard to believe that few would feel that two guilty charges was enough.

I don't know all the facts, I didn't sit through the trial. But I can't see how operating a boat at speed, at night and while drunk isn't reckless and grossly negligent.

It is strange that the speed of the boat could not be determined more accurately than 50-65 MPH.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by VtSteve

"...On calm water, I'd bet the little outboard would clean his clock..."

This doesn't appear to have been a race: both victims died as a result of the Dominator's props. Both boats were correctly positioned in this photo just before the moment of impact.



It is most likely that the boat was stationary and, as Dave R will confirm, even anchoring at night is legal in Maine waters. Maine needs a "Rule 6".

Originally Posted by Woodsy

"...So what if he has 22 speeding tickets? We don't know the circumstances surrounding them..."

...and...

Originally Posted by VtSteve

"...The 22 tickets is obviously an indication of a problem. He got Caught 22 times, although we don't know the specifics. At any rate, that's quite a bit, and you'd think he'd learn at some point. It didn't help the jury, but we spectators have an advantage there.

It's worse than all that: it's 22 speeding convictions. In actuality, what were the total number of citations ?

Excerpt:

"...And four convictions for failing to stop for a police officer and two license revocations for being a habitual motor vehicle offender, according to Massachusetts state records..."

That record is typically withheld from the jury for the trial, but is weighed later by the sentencing judge. Another article says he can be expected to be sentenced for "over 1 year" in jail.
http://www.sunjournal.com/story/2846...2_lake_deaths/

Excerpted:

"LaPointe, 39, was found guilty Wednesday of two counts of aggravated drunken driving in connection with the boating deaths in Harrison last year of Terry Raye Trott and Suzanne Groetzinger. A mistrial was declared on two charges of manslaughter after the jury deadlocked on those and a charge of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon...'If we get a sentence we think is the right sentence, certainly that in my view is a successful outcome,' Norbert said. Sentences for manslaughter in a drunken driving death and for aggravated drunken driving that leads to a death are often similar, and when convicted for both, are served simultaneously, she said."

I never could understand "concurrent" jail times—sitting in jail and "getting credit" for two (2) crimes?

[Audiofn]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

This doesn't appear to have been a race: both victims died as a result of the Dominator's props. Both boats were correctly positioned in this photo just before the moment of impact.



It is most likely that the boat was stationary and, as Dave R will confirm, even anchoring at night is legal in Maine waters. Maine needs a "Rule 6".

...and...

It's worse than all that: it's 22 speeding convictions. In actuality, what were the total number of citations ?

Excerpt:



That record is typically withheld from the jury for the trial, but is weighed later by the sentencing judge. Another article says he can be expected to be sentenced for "over 1 year" in jail.
http://www.sunjournal.com/story/2846...2_lake_deaths/

Excerpted:

I never could understand "concurrent" jail times—sitting in jail and "getting credit" for two (2) crimes?

Testimony at trial said that Mr. Trotts boat was under way with no stern light on. If you do anchore in Maine (or any other state) you are required to have a anchor light ON at night.

The reason that it is concurent and I am no lawer is that he did not commit two crimes even though he was conviced of two counts of OUI, he commited one crime. He drank, he drove his boat to fast.

[Lakepilot]

This is a quote from the Milford Daily article previously cited.

"A few minutes later, just after LaPointe had throttled up and the boat was skimming across the surface of the lake, his boat ran up and over the back of Trott's boat. Groetzinger died instantly when she was nearly decapitated by one of LaPointe's propellers, a state medical examiner testified. A propeller severed Trott's lower back and buttocks, and his cause of death was a combination of that injury and drowning."

Here's the cite again for the article.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news...-while-boating

[Audiofn]

Thanks Lake Pilot I did not see that and have edited my post to reflect your artical.

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by Lakepilot

This is a quote from the Milford Daily article previously cited.

"A few minutes later, just after LaPointe had throttled up and the boat was skimming across the surface of the lake, his boat ran up and over the back of Trott's boat. Groetzinger died instantly when she was nearly decapitated by one of LaPointe's propellers, a state medical examiner testified. A propeller severed Trott's lower back and buttocks, and his cause of death was a combination of that injury and drowning."

Here's the cite again for the article.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news...-while-boating

Sounds like a real peach, and with prior offenses up the ying yang. Perhaps if it's only one year he gets, the families can beat the daylights out of him every day.

[Skip]

From today's Foster's/Citizen, Lapointe is sentenced to 3 1/2 years.

I think the judge's comments at the end of the article clearly articulate the type of individual Lapointe is.

My condolences to the victims families, hopefully they can have some type of closure now.

The article can be read HERE.



A much more complete story can be read HERE at the on-line edition of the Portland Herald.

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

Woodsy

The defendant testified that shortly before the accident he was stopped to make a phone call and the black boat passed him with no lights on.

That means that when he took off at high speed a minute later he KNEW there was a black boat with no lights out in front of him!

Not trying to defend the guy, as clearly he was in the wrong. But in that article, I read that the boat passed him then turned away. My guess is that he thought the boat had continued on in another direction.

[4Fun]

I would like to point out that I am pretty sure a speed limit would not have prevented this. Obviously after 21 tickets he did not slow down on the road since he got his 22nd. I think we can agree the threat of a $75 fine for speeding is not going to get his attention.

Someone mentioned he probably is not very good at being aware of his surroundings. That sounds right on to me. Whether in the car or on the water.

Being .11 is impared not incapable. If you make good choices sober you can still make them at .11 (Just a little harder, And not that I condone it...) It sounds like alcohol is not really the issue here just a series of bad decisions.

[Bear Islander]

Originally Posted by 4Fun

I would like to point out that I am pretty sure a speed limit would not have prevented this. Obviously after 21 tickets he did not slow down on the road since he got his 22nd. I think we can agree the threat of a $75 fine for speeding is not going to get his attention.

Someone mentioned he probably is not very good at being aware of his surroundings. That sounds right on to me. Whether in the car or on the water.

Being .11 is impared not incapable. If you make good choices sober you can still make them at .11 (Just a little harder, And not that I condone it...) It sounds like alcohol is not really the issue here just a series of bad decisions.

Except of course that if Long Lake had a speed limit he would have trailered his boat to a different lake.

[GWC...]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

Except of course that if Long Lake had a speed limit he would have trailered his boat to a different lake.

Why?

The speeding tickets speak otherwise...

[4Fun]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

Except of course that if Long Lake had a speed limit he would have trailered his boat to a different lake.

I think your wrong. My point was he has demonstrated he could care less about a speed limit. That is proven by getting 22 tickets. Speed limit or not he was going to do exactly what he did. I am also stating I doubt alcohol was a major contributor to this. He probably would have made the same bad decision anyway.

While I think your correct a few boaters would go elsewhere most would just continue on and either pay the fine or actually just slow down. Some people contend the lake would be empty and business would hurt but that is not my opinion. There is just no alternative to Winni that is even close.

[jrc]

Please don't go down the speed limit rat hole. This thread will get moved and banned.

4Fun, I disagree with your assessment of .11 BAC. First, the level was higher than .11 likely it was .15. Some people may be capable at that level in car with ideal circumstances. But this was boat not a car, it was dark, boats don't have headlights. There are no lanes, boats can come from any direction. Even the most experienced recreational boater has 1/10 the experience driving a boat as driving a car. You can't really use the same scale. In my opinion driving a boat, at planning speed, at night and at .15 BAC is reckless.

[Dave R]

Not that it really matters, but if people really wanna drag speed into the issue, the victim's boat is likely faster than the Sunsation. A 14 foot, flat bottom Glasspar with a Merc 115 (the old "Tower of Power", everyone knows these were very under-rated for HP) on the transom is a very fast boat.

[secondcurve]

Dave:

I believe the Sunsation had over 800 horse hanging off the back of its stern. This is a jet that is clearly capable of moving faster than the boat that was hit. Who needs 800 horse power on Long Lake? Hopefully, they try this jerk again. He should spend a long time in jail.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by secondcurve

Dave:

I believe the Sunsation had over 800 horse hanging off the back of its stern. This is a jet that is clearly capable of moving faster than the boat that was hit. Who needs 800 horse power on Long Lake? Hopefully, they try this jerk again. He should spend a long time in jail.

I agree, he should spend a long time in jail.

Maybe he used the boat on Sebago more than Long Lake. It's quite a bit bigger, very wide open (more so than the Broads), and connected to Long Lake. It also can get very rough. I could see why some people would like a boat like that there, even though it's not my scene. A boat with 800HP would not be at all out of place on Sebago and would certainly not be the most powerful either.

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by secondcurve

Dave:

I believe the Sunsation had over 800 horse hanging off the back of its stern. This is a jet that is clearly capable of moving faster than the boat that was hit. Who needs 800 horse power on Long Lake? Hopefully, they try this jerk again. He should spend a long time in jail.

Not a jet boat. On calm water, I'd bet the little outboard would clean his clock. The Sun is a pretty heavy ride. But speed or boats isn't the issue here.

Nobody will know apparently what the real reasons were. Did he go after the little boat because of the drive by? The lights being out? Who knows. All they can deal with are two deaths and his BAL.

Regardless, I wonder why he still has any license or insurance with all those speeding tickets. All the jury can do is decide on the penalty for his drinking and the accident. They cannot speculate that he's a dangerous and arrogant person that needs to be taught a lesson, but we can. I guess that's why the justice system exists.

[secondcurve]

Dave:

Good point. I think Sebago is connected to Long Lake through lockes. VtSteve, you may be correct on the top speed of these boats....I'm not an expert. The bottom line is that this guy and people like him give all boaters a black eye. It is frustrating to see him get away with murder. Hopefully, they try him for the second death.

[4Fun]

Originally Posted by jrc

Please don't go down the speed limit rat hole. This thread will get moved and banned.

4Fun, I disagree with your assessment of .11 BAC. First, the level was higher than .11 likely it was .15. Some people may be capable at that level in car with ideal circumstances. But this was boat not a car, it was dark, boats don't have headlights. There are no lanes, boats can come from any direction. Even the most experienced recreational boater has 1/10 the experience driving a boat as driving a car. You can't really use the same scale. In my opinion driving a boat, at planning speed, at night and at .15 BAC is reckless.

We have the exact opposite opinion on this I have always felt that driving a car was WAY more dangerous than driving a boat drunk. Things are going by within just a few feet at 60+ MPH. Reaction time is critical. Milliseconds really.

In a boat its not really reaction time it's decision making capabilities. If you have to react real quick when driving a boat it's ALWAYS going to be because of a previous bad decision. IE: missed marker, lost, too fast at night etc.

It's just different that's all. Not really a good idea either way.....

[sa meredith]

Neither is a good idea, but, seeing as though it has been mentioned...
I would say, after a few drinks, give the wheel of the car. The boat??? Not so much. A car is something I have driven, day in and day out, multiple times each day, for the better part of 25 years (age 16 thru 41). And cars have brakes!
The boat???? Have to worry about navigation, markers, other boats, depth, docking...and in an emergency situation or engine failure, in a car you can probably wiggle out of it. On the boat? You're gonna need some help.
Anyway....this is a terrible situation, and the families of the victims must be going thru hell.
I would further imagine that, although it is another state, there are families who boat on our fair lake, that are closely following the developments of this story. (before their trial starts???)

[jrc]

4fun
I was thinking more or less like sa-meredith. Most people have a ton more experience driving a car, a boat is usually a seasonal weekend novelty.

But I can see your point as well. Cars traffic is a lot denser than boats.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

Except of course that if Long Lake had a speed limit he would have trailered his boat to a different lake.

Does anyone know why LaPointe was on the lake ? Was he visiting friends or does he have a place there ? Seems as likely to me that had he had a different boat, more "appropriate" for the lake, and then gone out drinking as he said he did I might expect pretty much the same result.

Then again perhaps the victims speedboat (14' with a 115 HP) might have been traded in for a poontoon boat. We could have had a small boat crashing into a poontoon at perhaps "low speed", certainly nobody could ever get killed that way.

Then again .....

[Grady223]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

WOW!

II also agree with the deadlocked jurors... I would find it hard to convict someone of vehicular manslaughter if the possibility exists that the victim put themselves in harms way... especially when the boat that was struck is black!! Witnesses for both the prosecution and defense testified that the boat that was struck did not have its stern light on! If the light was in fact off, then 14' boat INTENTIONALLY became a hazard to navigation.

Maybe its me, but sitting in the middle of a lake in a black boat with no stern light during no-light or very low-light conditions is just plain STUPID!

Woodsy,

If it was a black car with no lights on stopped on the road hit by a tractor trailer truck doing 100 mph and being driven by a drunk driver it would be vehicular manslaughter.

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by Grady223

Woodsy,

If it was a black car with no lights on stopped on the road hit by a tractor trailer truck doing 100 mph and being driven by a drunk driver it would be vehicular manslaughter.

I suspect the truck driver would be found guilty of the same counts as the boater was....and here is why!

In order for your scenario to happen, a black car would have to be PARKED in the middle of a dark road, with no lights no hazards on or reflectors visible.

Because the vehicle was parked in the road with no lights or reflectors visible, there is a certain liability on the driver of the black car, regardless of the condition of the truck driver. The driver of the automobile put himself and the truck driver in harms way.

Cars & trucks have headlights... they also have reflectors! This is to insure that you can see the other vehicle at night at a distance great enough to avoid a collision. There are all sorts of specifications automobile manufacturers have to meet with regards to headlights, reflector size (sq in) and visibility over distance. Boats don't have headlights or reflectors like cars do...... but they are supposed to have thier navigation lights ON!

The rules for boating and driving are different regardless of how many parallels one can draw between the two.

Either way, the jury deadlocked on the vehicular manslaughter charge. I would guess that jury deadlocked because some of the jurors (not all obv) felt there was some responsibility on the part of the victims because there was reasonable doubt that the stern light was on when the collision occured. If in fact the victim had shut off his stern light, that action placed him and his friend in harms way. By maritime law they WILLFULLY became a hazard to navigation!

I am the biggest advocate of drunk trumps all circumstances! I suspect had this guy been sober there might not have been an accident at all, and if there was he wouldn't have been charged with ANYTHING! It would just be a horrible accident... more than likely the victims would have been blamed for sitting out in the middle of a lake with no navigation lights on. But thats not what happened! But he decided to drive drunk and unfortunately he killed two people and injured a third. These drunk driving accidents occur every day in all types of vehicles.... Unless we eliminate all vehicles from the planet (or all alcohol and other drugs) it will continue to occur. You cannot legislate common sense and you can't fix stupid!

The guy was drunk and found guilty. I dont know the guy, but I agree with Skip that the judges comments at the end of the article speak volumes to this guys character. I have no sympathy for him.

Woodsy

[Resident 2B]

Woodsy,

That was one outstanding post! A well thought out and fair assessment regarding both sides.

R2B

[BroadHopper]

Great post. Common sense prevail with the Maine judge.

[Audiofn]

I have to beleive that they got this one correct. If you look historically at drunk driving convictions in Maine then he got about the average. I hope that this accident does not forever damage my ability to boat responsibly in my boat of choice.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Audiofn

"...I hope that this accident does not forever damage my ability to boat responsibly in my boat of choice..."

Don't know about "forever" or "choice", but "responsible" Maine citizens are still trying to "damage" certain boater "abilities" in Maine's Legislature this past week.

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

Don't know about "forever" or "choice", but "responsible" Maine citizens are still trying to "damage" certain boater "abilities" in Maine's Legislature this past week.

Does that mean that only small boat owners will be able to run over other boats while driving drunk? I vote that all drunk boaters be restricted to 25 mph all the time if in a boat 12' to 17.5', 20 mph for drunks in boats 18' to 22', and headway speed only for all drunks in boats 25' or over. Note the special exemption for cruisers or open fishing boats of any size.

There were several splendid examples just last year of accidents involving boaters that don't operate crafts within your relatively narrow field of vision.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by VtSteve

Does that mean that only small boat owners will be able to run over other boats while driving drunk? I vote that all drunk boaters be restricted to 25 mph all the time if in a boat 12' to 17.5', 20 mph for drunks in boats 18' to 22', and headway speed only for all drunks in boats 25' or over. Note the special exemption for cruisers or open fishing boats of any size.

There were several splendid examples just last year of accidents involving boaters that don't operate crafts within your relatively narrow field of vision.

Good points Steve.

And as the investigation wraps up you will unfortunately be able to add yet another example. Yep, the first fatality on the water has already occured in New Hampshire so early this season.

The vessel? A canoe.

Probable main aggravating factor? Excessive use of alcohol.

Alcohol is an equal opportunity killer, regardless of the type of watercraft it is imbibed to excess in.

[VtSteve]

And so it begins.

One point I'd like to make clear. The type of person that LaPointe is, and I strictly judge this by his behavior in the past, as well as the Judge's statements. I realize that idiots like this ruin the whole show for everyone. I also realize that having a big loud boat makes him an obvious target. But not to generalize, for every LaPointe on the water, I see many more in everyday recreational craft. Every single weekend there are boaters too numerous to count breaking all kinds of laws. Yes, at night as well.

I wouldn't have thought people could look past the obvious on LaPointe.

1) Over the limit
2) Arrogance even in the courtroom
3) Boat was aptly named No Patience
4) Numerous serious traffic infractions

One more note. For every LaPointe in a go fast on the water, I can find you a dozen or more people over the limit in cruisers as well. Maybe even a canoe or two

Yeah, I get it that big and fast don't mix with booze and drugs, and that the margin of error is slimmer. But the problem isn't with the boat. He even failed to wear a lanyard, as evidenced by where his boat ended up that night, some 160' in the woods.

Until the patrols are able to target the people and not the boats, the problems will continue. But at least they target a group I'm not in, sure does take the pressure off the rest of us.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by VtSteve

"...Until the patrols are able to target the people and not the boats, the problems will continue..."

After a Google search on another boating matter, I tend to agree with you.

Like LaPointe, this boater had a history of drunk driving and speeding on the highway. With a borrowed boat, he later hit+ran across another boat, killing a passenger with the outdrive and seriously injured a passenger accompanying him.

Shouldn't DWI histories be reviewed before granting a New Hampshire boating certificate?

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

After a Google search on another boating matter, I tend to agree with you.

Like LaPointe, this boater had a history of drunk driving and speeding on the highway. With a borrowed boat, he later hit+ran across another boat, killing a passenger with the outdrive and seriously injured a passenger accompanying him.

Shouldn't DWI histories be reviewed before granting a New Hampshire boating certificate?

I would think so, but I don't want to encourage legislators or anyone else to come up with more regulations. While this is a pretty good suggestion, it would be better left to people that at least appear to know what they're doing.

Relatively few boating accidents happen each year believe it or not. What boaters should do is have long talks with the MP on their respective lakes, since it's apparent they are not around when the majority of unsafe activities happen. I tired to do this last year out of utter frustration, we'll see how it worked out this season I guess.