3 Killed in Memorial Day Boat Accident

[Boz]

Father, pregnant daughter killed in Volusia boating accident

Passengers in both boats knew each other

By Gary Taylor, Orlando Sentinel

11:25 PM EDT, May 31, 2010

PONCE INLET – A busy Memorial Day holiday at the beach along Volusia County turned tragic when two boats collided in Ponce Inlet, killing a DeLand-area man, his adult daughter and the woman's unborn baby.

The crash occurred when a 25-foot boat ran over the top of a smaller boat about 4 p.m., said Joy Hill, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is investigating the crash.

All of those killed were aboard the smaller boat, a 17-foot 2006 Sundance, Hill said.

She identified the three victims as Cyril J. Holley Jr., 46, his daughter, Madison Holley, 19, and her unborn child. Both lived at the same address on Hontoon Road near DeLand.

Hill did not know the sex of the unborn baby, but said the child was "just weeks away from being born."

Three people told officers they were injured. Two of them were admitted to Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach, she said. Neither their names nor the extent of their injuries was released. The third person who was hurt refused treatment, Hill said.

It was not known which of the boats the injured where aboard.

There were seven people aboard the smaller boat and six on the other vessel, a 25-foot 1989 Chaparral, Hill said.

All of them were either related or knew each other, Hill said. "It's very, very tragic," she said.

Investigators are looking into the possibility that the wake from another boat might have contributed to the crash, said Hill, adding that fatal boating accident investigations "often take months to complete."

The crash occurred in the Intracoastal Waterway, "right across from the Coast Guard station," Hill said. It was just south of Disappearing Island, she said.

Disappearing Island is an area that forms from sandbars when the tide goes out, said Capt. Scott Petersohn of the Volusia County Beach Patrol. People like to go there "because there are no real rules about drinking," he said.

Some of the victims were taken to Disappearing Island before rescue workers arrived, said Petersohn, whose agency used its boats to transport some of the occupants of the two boats to shore.

The beaches were packed Monday as locals and tourists alike celebrated the holiday that signals the beginning of summer.

"It was a crazy day today," Petersohn said. "We had a huge crowd."

[fireboat]

Darn shame, my sympathies to the families.

However, its gotten to the point where you expect that some people will die over Memorial Day weekend. It is almost always preventable and usually it happens because someone was not paying attention at the helm. I never could see how a boat could run another over in clear weather. Was alcohol involved? yeah probably but you would think that there was someone onboard who was sober enough to lookout.

And then 7 people on a 17' boat, that little boat probably couldn't get out of its own way.

I don't go boating on Memorial Day and I don't go drinking on New Year's Eve, too many amateurs.

[pmagrady]

I boat in that area. A no wake boundary begins right at the CG Station. The water in that location is usually calm with a bit of current; certainly not dangerous. I wonder if the smaller boat was running at no wake speed and the big boat had not slowed. I guess we will find out at some point.

[crash1371]

This is tragic for all involved and may all find comfort in there time of need

[Chisox]

Just plain sucks...the perished are at peace, Lord help the ones who must deal with the pain.

When will mankind EVER learn?

[ScarabChris]

Terrible! It happens somewhere every big holiday weekend. I'm surprised I didn't see anything on the local news in the Miami area.

[First Light]

RIP

[WEAKFISH]

Hate hearing these stories. What a tragedy... But we need to post these stories to keep all of us aware and not get too comfortable on the water. Be safe everyone... Godspeed to that poor family..