Man pleads guilty to BWI in deadly boat crash

A St. Joseph man has pleaded guilty to boating while intoxicated after a deadly boat crash at the Lake of the Ozarks.

On Tuesday, Cletus Barsch pleaded guilty to one count of Class C felony BWI-homicide and two counts of Class D felony BWI-serious physical injury in Miller County.

Barsch was driving the boat with his 14-year-old daughter on board when he struck another boat. Alec Potthoff, 20, who was aboard the other boat, was seriously hurt in the crash. He sustained serious head injuries and was transported to University Hospital. He died in August from his injuries at a hospital in Iowa. Barsch’s daughter was treated for minor injuries.

According to a press release from the Miller County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Barsch’s sentencing hearing is March 11, 2020.

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