Howard Sterndrive
Rear Admiral
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2008
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Two boaters died last weekend on the lake where I live.
Here's an interview with the driver of the boat they crashed into.
See if you come to the same conclusion I did when I read what this guy says about his boat's lights
It's like he has no idea what he did wrong, and no one (lawyer?) has explained it to him apparently
Wow...just admitted to causing 2 deaths and he thinks they were at fault
http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/article/181012
Fatal Lake Scugog crash haunts Clarington firefighter
Richard Day recalls Canada Day boat collision
Jul 08, 2011 - 04:02 PM
Chris Hall
SCUGOG -- As the lights of an approaching boat got closer and closer in the pitch-black darkness, Richard Day swung his boat away, giving the craft a wide berth.
Mr. Day and his passengers, three family members and two friends, had just watched the Canada Day fireworks explode over Lake Scugog in Port Perry and were heading for home when they rounded the northern tip of Scugog Island.
Heading southeast to Caesarea to drop off one of his daughter's friends before making a beeline for Ball Point, Mr. Day deftly maneuvered his 20-foot Regal boat away from the northbound vessel.
"I gave them a wide berth; there's no need to go so close, but it wasn't enough," said Mr. Day, recalling the moments before the two craft collided just before 11 p.m. on July 1, leaving two men dead. "It's almost like they turned towards us."
Mr. Day, a Clarington firefighter, stressed repeatedly that he had his docking lights on and that it would be nearly impossible to miss his boat in the night.
But they didn't.
As Mr. Day, 47, cranked the wheel of his Regal hard in an attempt to turn away from the approaching craft, the Mastercraft vessel, carrying two men, slammed into the side of his banking boat.
The force of the collision pushed the smaller boat under the Regal, shearing off the front seat and dash, recalled Mr. Day.
"They came in so fast and so hard," said Mr. Day. "I've never been hit so hard in my life."
Mr. Day estimated he was travelling about 30 miles an hour at the time of the collision; he wouldn't guess how fast the Mastercraft was going.
"They were moving at a rapid speed towards us."
The impact between the two vessels sent everyone in Mr. Day's Regal pinballing around the boat. Two young girls, 12 and 14, fell overboard.
Mr. Day immediately put his boat in reverse and then came to a full stop, fearful that he might run over someone. He knew one of his daughters had been thrown into the water, but it took a second of scrambling to realize both girls were in Lake Scugog.
Once he located a flashlight, Mr. Day quickly spotted the girls about 30 feet from the boat. They were banged up and bruised, but stayed calm in the water together until they were pulled back aboard, he said.
Unsure of how much damage his Regal sustained, Mr. Day piloted his boat to the remains of the Mastercraft vessel and, after speaking with nearby boaters about the collision, headed for the Caesarea Pier.
"I wasn't sinking, but I didn't know I wasn't sinking," he said.
Emergency crews were quickly dispatched to the crash site but the two men in the Mastercraft couldn't be located. After an extensive search, Durham police, with help from the York Region force, pulled the bodies of the two men from Lake Scugog over the following three days.
Jeffrey Wilkinson, 38, of Washburn Island, was located about 100 metres from the crash scene on Sunday night. David Tyrrell, 49, of Thurstonia, was found near Washburn Island by a citizen early Monday evening.
The men are said to have been travelling westbound in the Mastercraft boat after leaving from a Washburn Island address, according to police.
The incident has left Mr. Day so shaken up he's taken a leave from work.
"I keep thinking something's going to drive into me. I (see) this sort of thing for a living, but it's different when it's your family," he said.
"I'm glad to be alive and then I realize someone died," continued Mr. Day. "The whole thing sucks, there was no need for it."
Anyone who witnessed the accident and who has not yet spoken to police is asked to contact Constable Robert Spring of the Traffic Services Branch at 1-888-579-1520 ext 5237.
Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or visiting www.durhamregionalcrimestoppers.ca.
Here's an interview with the driver of the boat they crashed into.
See if you come to the same conclusion I did when I read what this guy says about his boat's lights
It's like he has no idea what he did wrong, and no one (lawyer?) has explained it to him apparently
Wow...just admitted to causing 2 deaths and he thinks they were at fault
http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/article/181012
Fatal Lake Scugog crash haunts Clarington firefighter
Richard Day recalls Canada Day boat collision
Jul 08, 2011 - 04:02 PM
Chris Hall
SCUGOG -- As the lights of an approaching boat got closer and closer in the pitch-black darkness, Richard Day swung his boat away, giving the craft a wide berth.
Mr. Day and his passengers, three family members and two friends, had just watched the Canada Day fireworks explode over Lake Scugog in Port Perry and were heading for home when they rounded the northern tip of Scugog Island.
Heading southeast to Caesarea to drop off one of his daughter's friends before making a beeline for Ball Point, Mr. Day deftly maneuvered his 20-foot Regal boat away from the northbound vessel.
"I gave them a wide berth; there's no need to go so close, but it wasn't enough," said Mr. Day, recalling the moments before the two craft collided just before 11 p.m. on July 1, leaving two men dead. "It's almost like they turned towards us."
Mr. Day, a Clarington firefighter, stressed repeatedly that he had his docking lights on and that it would be nearly impossible to miss his boat in the night.
But they didn't.
As Mr. Day, 47, cranked the wheel of his Regal hard in an attempt to turn away from the approaching craft, the Mastercraft vessel, carrying two men, slammed into the side of his banking boat.
The force of the collision pushed the smaller boat under the Regal, shearing off the front seat and dash, recalled Mr. Day.
"They came in so fast and so hard," said Mr. Day. "I've never been hit so hard in my life."
Mr. Day estimated he was travelling about 30 miles an hour at the time of the collision; he wouldn't guess how fast the Mastercraft was going.
"They were moving at a rapid speed towards us."
The impact between the two vessels sent everyone in Mr. Day's Regal pinballing around the boat. Two young girls, 12 and 14, fell overboard.
Mr. Day immediately put his boat in reverse and then came to a full stop, fearful that he might run over someone. He knew one of his daughters had been thrown into the water, but it took a second of scrambling to realize both girls were in Lake Scugog.
Once he located a flashlight, Mr. Day quickly spotted the girls about 30 feet from the boat. They were banged up and bruised, but stayed calm in the water together until they were pulled back aboard, he said.
Unsure of how much damage his Regal sustained, Mr. Day piloted his boat to the remains of the Mastercraft vessel and, after speaking with nearby boaters about the collision, headed for the Caesarea Pier.
"I wasn't sinking, but I didn't know I wasn't sinking," he said.
Emergency crews were quickly dispatched to the crash site but the two men in the Mastercraft couldn't be located. After an extensive search, Durham police, with help from the York Region force, pulled the bodies of the two men from Lake Scugog over the following three days.
Jeffrey Wilkinson, 38, of Washburn Island, was located about 100 metres from the crash scene on Sunday night. David Tyrrell, 49, of Thurstonia, was found near Washburn Island by a citizen early Monday evening.
The men are said to have been travelling westbound in the Mastercraft boat after leaving from a Washburn Island address, according to police.
The incident has left Mr. Day so shaken up he's taken a leave from work.
"I keep thinking something's going to drive into me. I (see) this sort of thing for a living, but it's different when it's your family," he said.
"I'm glad to be alive and then I realize someone died," continued Mr. Day. "The whole thing sucks, there was no need for it."
Anyone who witnessed the accident and who has not yet spoken to police is asked to contact Constable Robert Spring of the Traffic Services Branch at 1-888-579-1520 ext 5237.
Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or visiting www.durhamregionalcrimestoppers.ca.