Boater Charged with Six Violations of Maritime Law

By Carol Kennedy

Published on September 12, 2005

When Price's 53-foot cabin cruiser, the Price Pirate, slammed into the stern of the Jil Carrie, a charter fishing boat, Johnny Randolph, 57, was thrown from the boat and almost drowned. Several other passengers aboard the Jil Carrie suffered severe injuries and had to be taken to the hospital.

Charter Capt. Bill Fish, who was fishing nearby, helped to rescue Mr. Randolph. Eyewitnesses claim that Price's boat did not deviate from its course after the collision, nor did he slow down until about 100 yards beyond the scene of the accident. Price claimed that the charter boat should not have been anchored in the channel.

Price is charged with operating a boat in a reckless manner, negligence, speeding, failing to maintain a proper lookout, failure to take risk assessment measures and failure to take appropriate action in a narrow channel. Price could face as much as $2,700 in fines and 30 days in jail. The Coast Guard is also considering filing federal charges.

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