The widow of a man who died after driving his boat into a beam of a Huntington Harbour Bridge is suing Huntington Beach, Orange County, and the state of California for his wrongful death. Shawn Wilson, 37, died on June 27. He leaves behind his wife Deanna, her 3-year-old son, and her baby daughter who was born a few weeks before the tragic boating accident.
According to her Orange County, California wrongful death complaint, the bridge, which was allegedly negligently, improperly, and recklessly designed, made, and maintained, should have had better signage and lighting over it. The lawsuit contends that other people had complained that the bridge was dangerous and at least one similar boating accident had happened in the area prior to Wilson's death.
Wilson died after his inflatable boat struck a beam on the Gilbert Drive Bridge. The accident occurred around 12:45am. One of his passengers, Caleb Steele, also died in the Huntington Beach boating accident. Another boating passenger, James Geekie, was knocked back and fell unconscious. He sustained serious head injuries but managed to swim back to shore.
Because the water was at high tide, the boaters should have ducked to avoid hitting the beam. Deanna Wilson's Huntington Beach wrongful death complaint contends that her husband was operating the boat in a careful, lawful, and reasonable manner. This is contrary to witness reports that her husband was speeding. Toxicology reports indicate he was operating the boat while drunk.
Examples of California Boating Accidents that can lead to Personal Injury or Wrongful Death claims if another party was negligent:
• Falls overboard
• Slip and fall accidents on boat
• Boat fires
• Drowning accidents
• Boating collision with another vessel
• Boat crashing into the harbor or dock
• Water-skiing accident
• Jet ski accident
• Boat capsizing
• Boat explosion
• Boat crashing into a fixed or submerge object
• Running over a swimmer in the water with a boat
• Striking someone with the boat's propeller
• Boat capsizing
• Flooding on boat
Related Web Resources:
Widow sues city, others over fatal bridge crash, Orange County Register, November 9, 2009
Two killed in Huntington Harbour boating accident, Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2009
Related Web Resources:
US Coast Guard Boating Accident Statistics 2008
Huntington Beach, California
