Charges filed in fatal Lake of the Ozarks boat crash
The Miller County prosecutor has charged a man with boating while intoxicated in a June crash on the Lake of the Ozarks that killed one person.
Prosecuting Attorney Ben Winfrey charged Kelly Wise, 62, of Atlantic, Iowa, on Monday with a single count of misdemeanor BWI for the crash that killed Jason Russell, 39, of Eugene, Missouri.
Wise’s boat collided with the boat Russell was riding on at the 3.2 mile marker of the lake’s Osage arm at about 11 p.m. June 29, according to a probable cause statement written by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper. Wise allegedly told troopers he didn’t see the other boat coming until the last second, but said the other boat had its lights on.
Wise failed field sobriety tests and a breath test showed his blood alcohol content at .184 percent, higher than the .08 legal threshold for boating or driving while intoxicated.
Wise posted a $1,000 cash bond on Tuesday, according to online court records. His initial court appearance was set for Sept. 11.
