Jefferson City man sentenced for deadly boating accident

A Jefferson City man was sentenced Friday in a deadly boating accident in September 2011.

35-year-old Christopher Winkler pleaded guilty in Gasconade County court in April for the deaths of twoand injury of three people in a September 2011 boating accident.

35-year-old Christopher Winkler was sentenced to 5 years probation with 120 days of shock time in the Osage County Jail. The judge also ordered Winkler to pay $30,000 in restitution to victims and their families.

Winkler was driving his boat at night along the Osage River in OsageCounty when it hit two anchored boats at the Bonnots Mill river access.

Authorities said Winkler was operating the boat without required life jackets.

Curtis Libbert and Alvin Blackford died in the accident.

Winkler was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of second degree assault. He pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter, and the other was dropped at the request of one of the victim’s families. Winkler also pleaded guilty to both assault charges.