Drunk Boating Accident in Wrightsville Beach, NC Hospitalizes Two | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

The people steering both boats that collided head-on in Banks Channel between Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington, North Carolina (NC), shortly before dawn on Oct. 5, 2012, are likely to face criminal charges for boating while intoxicated. A total of five people were aboard the two small recreational boats when they crashed, and all wound up in the water. Two of the passengers suffered injuries that required them to go to hospitals for treatment.

The accident victims were rescued by U.S. Coast Guard personnel. North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission officers are investigating the incident to determine if other factors besides drinking played roles in causing the accident.

 


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North Carolina Boating Accident Lawyers’ Perspective

BWI is as dangerous, and as illegal, as driving drunk in North Carolina. Anyone operating a boat or personal watercraft with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is subject to arrest and conviction. Accidents like the one off Wrightsville Beach illustrate why such laws are good ideas and worth enforcing.

The people aboard the boats involved in the head-on collision are luky not to have suffered more severe injuries, been killed or drowned after going overboard. Wrecks on the water due to operators’ recklessness or negligence often have tragic consequences.

 

Potentially Helpful Info

If you or a family member has been injured in an accident on the water caused by another person, download this free boating accident injury guide written by North Carolina personal injury attorneys to begin to learn about your legal rights and options to file claims for compensation.

 

Have Questions? Check Out Our Firm’s FAQs.

You can learn more by reading our lawyers’ answers to frequently asked questions about boat and watercraft crashes that result in injuries and deaths.

 

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