A second person is facing charges in connection to a boat crash that killed three people on Bobs Lake in eastern Ontario over the Victoria Day Long Weekend.
Two boats collided in the Buck Bay part of Bobs Lake, roughly 140 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Juliette Côté, 22, Riley Orr, 23, Kaila Bearman, 21 were all pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
Three other people were injured in the collision.
The Ontario Provincial Police say a 27-year-old man from South Frontenac Township is facing charges under the Canada Shipping Act for lights violations and not having enough lifejackets onboard.
The charges are, “failing to exhibit stern light on power-driven vessel underway,” “failing to exhibit sidelights on power-driven vessel underway,” and “operating non-human-powered pleasure craft without personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board.”
The name of the accused was not released.
“The investigation, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner, involved support from frontline officers, Collision Reconstructionists, as well as members of multiple OPP Crime Units, the Technical Collision Investigation Team, and Forensic Identification Services,” the OPP said in a media release.
The accused will appear in Provincial Offences Court in Kingston on Jan. 13.
In October, police charged Matthew Splinter, 44, of South Frontenac Township is facing more than a dozen charges in connection to the crash. The charges include three counts of impaired operation causing death, three counts of impaired operation causing bodily harm, three counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing death and three counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm.