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Man charged in connection with fatal Wixom boat crash

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#1 ·
Man charged in connection with fatal Wixom boat crash

http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15606510&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6

11/19/2005 Kelly Nankervis, Midland Daily News

A Beaverton man has been charged and arraigned in connection to a fatal boating crash that occurred on Wixom Lake near the Midland and Gladwin County line.
Charged with one count of failing to stop at the scene of a marine accident resulting in death and two counts of failing to stop at the scene of a marine accident causing serious impairment or death is Christopher Charles Evans, 38.
Evans was arraigned Friday afternoon by Midland County District Court Judge Robert L. Donoghue. Bond was set at $10,000 personal recognizance.
Evans, through his attorney, Rick Lee of Midland, waived his right to a preliminary hearing within 14 days.
The crash occurred in the early morning hours of July 9 when the small watercraft operated by Edward Allen Hackworth Jr., 18, Beaverton was struck by a larger boat about 2:10 a.m. Hackworth was pronounced dead at the scene.
Also injured were Jacob Edward Gross, Midland, and Jonathan Zeuner, Livonia. At the time of the crash, Gross was 19 and Zeuner was 18. They were passengers in Hackworth’s vessel.
The Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office initially investigated the crash, and said at the time that speed and alcohol were factors.
Shortly after, officials questioned what county the crash actually occurred in, and began further investigation.
The Michigan Attorney General’s office has designated Midland County as the venue for court proceedings by special order requested by Midland County Prosecuting Mike Carpenter.
The first of the felony charges is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, while the second is punishable by up to five years in prison.
 
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#4 ·
Duh? sdanville must not understand that 03/03/2006 is updated news.

I was nice enough to look up the original news article so that the readers could refresh their memory about the case and most important know now how the case finally turned out. Most of the public understands that the court system can be very slow with the final outcome coming several months or years after the incident.
 
#5 ·
Prosecutor appealing decision in Wixom boating death case

http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16248449&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6

03/06/2006

The tale of a summer boating death isn't over yet.

The next chapter is being written by Midland County Prosecutor Mike Carpenter, who is filing an appeal in the case of Christopher Charles Evans.

Evans, 38, of Beaverton was charged with failing to stop at the scene of a marine accident resulting in death and two counts of failing to stop at a marine accident causing serious impairment or death. Until last Thursday, that is, when Midland County District Judge Robert L. Donoghue dismissed the charge when he ruled the death was an accident.

Killed in the July 9 boat collision near the Midland/Gladwin county line on Wixom Lake was Edward Allen Hackworth Jr., 18, Beaverton. Injured were Jacob Edward Gross and Jonathan Zeuner.

"This is truly a tragic case, where two young men were injured and one lost his life," Carpenter stated in a media release. "We are obviously very disappointed in the ruling and respectfully disagree with the judge's factual findings and conclusions of law, and fully intend to appeal the decision."

When making his decision, Donoghue cited numerous facts of the case, including that witnesses to the collision saw no lights on the boat that was struck, that they did not initially know a boat had been struck, that Evans circled the area of the collision but left before they discovered a boat was hit and people were injured, and that Evans was interviewed by law enforcement officials and released after the collision.

Donoghue based his decision on a question of whether Evans fulfilled state statutes that require the operator of a watercraft to stop and render aid to injured persons and exchange information if there was no one at the scene to help or identify himself to.
 
#6 ·
Judge to issue written opinion in fatal boating case appeal

Earlier this year, a judge decided a fatal boating crash was an accident and there wasn't evidence for the man charged in connection to it to stand trial.

Now Midland County Circuit Court Judge Paul J. Clulo is considering arguments from Prosecutor Mike Carpenter, who has filed an appeal of District Court Judge Robert L. Donoghue's decision and asked that the decision be overturned, and Richard Lee, attorney for Christopher Charles Evans.

http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17065894&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6
 
#8 ·
Boater sentenced in fatal Wixom Lake crash

http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19234751&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=596900&rfi=6

01/26/08 By Kelly Dame

The boat operator accused of causing the death of a young man on Wixom Lake in 2005 walked out of the Midland County Courthouse after his sentencing hearing Friday morning on order to go directly to the Gladwin County Jail.

Christopher Charles Evans, 40, Beaverton, was sentenced for negligent homicide/watercraft and attempted leaving the scene of an accident causing injury after making a no contest plea to the charges last month.

Midland County Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Beale followed the plea agreement by setting terms at three years probation, one year in jail and $2,750 fines and costs, as well as monitoring by an alcohol tether for three months. The jail time will be served on work release in Gladwin County in accordance with the plea agreement. Beale did not grant restitution, saying there is a civil opportunity if the victim's family wishes to pursue it.

The negligent homicide charge is punishable by a maximum of up to two years incarceration and $2,000 in fines.

Before setting the sentencing terms, Beale heard from Edward Allen Hackworth, whose 18-year-old son -- Edward Allen Hackworth Jr. -- was killed in the crash which occurred when the boat he was in was struck by one Evans was driving. Two others in Hackworth Jr.'s boat were hurt.

The elder Hackworth was clear that he does not feel that one year in jail is enough punishment for the taking of his son's life.

"They gotta pay that debt," he said, adding the punishment should be equal. He said by his calculations of good time allowances and work release, Evans will serve about 90 days worth of jail time for the incident if he was sentenced to one year in jail.

"There's no justice in that," he said. "That's not even fair." He invited Evans and his attorney, Richard Lee, to explain to Hackworth's brothers and sisters why he can take their brother's life and deserve work release.

He also said Evans had made a bad decision by choosing to drink them drive on the lake -- referring to a preliminary breath test result of .109 percent that was not followed up on by investigators -- and that he was speeding fast enough that his boat went over the other boat from end to end, not side to side.

"I feel the man should be locked up for a long time," Hackworth said.
 
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