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Coast Guardsman Faces Court Martial in Fatal Boat Accident in San Diego

The Coast Guardsman who was driving the boat that killed an eight-year in a fatal boat accident in the San Diego Bay, is set to be tried at a general court-martial. Coast Guardsman Petty Officer Third Class Paul Ramos will be tried on charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and negligent homicide.  If he’s found guilty, he’s likely to be sentenced to up to 20 years for the deadly boat accident that killed eight-year-old Anthony De Weese.

On December 20 2009, Antony and his family were in their boat and they were watching the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights.  Their family had just finished watching the boat parade, and they were waiting for the fireworks display to begin, when their boat was struck by a Coast Guard boat that was on its way to an emergency.  Antony’s father heard the Coast Guard vessel just behind the boat, speeding at them at close to 30 to 40 knots.  He tried to steer the boat away, but he couldn’t.  The speeding Coast Guard vessel struck the recreational boat at high speeds.

Antony suffered serious injuries, and was rushed to the UCSD Medical Center where he died later.  Witnesses at the scene later confirmed that the Coast Guard vessel had been traveling too fast at the time of the accident.  At least two other children and two adults were injured in the fatal boat accident.

Petty Officer Third Class Paul Ramos was piloting the boat at the time of the accident.  Two other crew members of the Coast Guard vessel also underwent a joint preliminary hearing last month.  They will face a special court-martial, and could be looking at a sentence of up to one year if convicted.  Attorneys for the three crew members, who are being charged in the fatal boating accident, have insisted that the crew members were working under poor leadership at the San Diego small boat operation of the Coast Guard.  They were also allegedly given a 33-foot patrol craft which had excessively high-speed capabilities, and also had some visibility problems.

Anthony’s family meanwhile insists that they do not want Ramos to be made a scapegoat, and they do not want the Coast Guard to ignore that the watercraft that was involved in the accident had visibility and blind spot problems.  They also believe that there is a high likelihood that a deadly accident like this will occur again.  The Coast Guard continues to use high-speed vessels in the San Diego Bay that can travel up to 50 knots.  The Coast Guard insists that these boats are safe if they are operated safely.  According to the Coast Guard, these vessels are routinely used for search and rescue, law enforcement and other activities.

Antony’s death occurred during a year in which the number of fatal boating accidents actually increased.  Even as California boat accident lawyers noted that the number of transportation-related accidents declined in 2009, there was an increase in marine fatalities, particularly those involving recreational boat accidents.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of boat accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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