Accident in BB leaves one dead.
 

DARTMOUTH — An experienced sailor and prominent retired businessman was killed Friday afternoon after a power boat collided with the sailboat he was aboard and threw him into the waters of Buzzards Bay.

David J. Walsh, 64, a South Dartmouth resident popularly known as "D.J.", was the retired president of Teledyne Rodney Metals, a specialty metals manufacturer, and past chairman of the Buzzards Bay Regatta. The Bristol County District Attorney's Office confirmed his death Friday night.

According to the Coast Guard, Mr. Walsh and Warren G. Hathaway, publisher emeritus of Hathaway Newspapers, part of the SouthCoast Media Group, were sailing off Padanaram when a 60-foot power boat hit Mr. Hathaway's 30-foot sailboat, the Padanaram, around 1:30 p.m. Friday near Wilkes Ledge.

Mr. Hathaway was being treated at St. Luke's Hospital Friday night but escaped serious injury in the accident, according to Gregg Miliote, spokesman for Bristol County District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter.

Mr. Walsh was thrown into the water by the force of the collision. A Coast Guard crew aboard a 25-foot response boat located him just before 2:30 p.m. and transported him to State Pier in New Bedford, where an ambulance was waiting, according to Coast Guard Public Affairs Officer Zach Zubricki.

He was taken to St. Luke's Hospital where he was pronounced dead, a hospital spokeswoman confirmed.

The Reasons' three-person crew reported the accident to the Coast Guard Station at Menemsha. Two nearby patrolling cutters, the Ridley and the Tybee, as well as the 25-foot response boat and a helicopter were dispatched.

Coast Guard officers boarded the Reasons after the collision, according to Mr. Miliote.

Reasons' homeport could not be determined Friday night and information about the identities of its crew was not available.

At the time of the accident, seas were less than one foot and winds were 5 to 10 knots, the Coast Guard said.

"They're doing an investigation to find out what happened," Officer Zubricki said.

The Massachusetts Environmental Police, along with District Attorney's Office and the Dartmouth Police, are investigating the accident.

On Friday afternoon, several hours after the fatal accident, investigators were aboard the Reasons, which had been taken to the Fairhaven Shipyard and Marina where it was lifted out of the water.

Marina personnel said the Padanaram also was towed there.

While it was unclear Friday night what led to the collision, South Dartmouth resident Tom Kenney, a friend of Mr. Walsh and Mr. Hathaway, shared what he had learned about the accident.

Mr. Kenney said he had seen both men at the New Bedford Yacht Club dock on Friday morning

"It was my understanding that a fairly large power boat ran up over D.J.'s stern and threw him into the water. Warren Hathaway was below decks. He scrambled up, the boat was taking on water," Mr. Kenney said. "D.J. probably didn't even see it coming."

He said Mr. Hathaway was walking on his own when he was brought to the dock in Padanaram, but was put on a stretcher and taken to St. Luke's Hospital.

Mr. Kenney said Mr. Hathaway, who was "pretty well banged up," told him that if he had been on deck, he would have been killed.

Mr. Kenney, also an experienced sailor, said he wonders whether the power boat was on autopilot or its operator was distracted. According to the Coast Guard, visibility at the time was two to three miles.

"It's very hard to collide with a sailboat stern on," he said.

Mr. Walsh was a well-known and well-loved person around the area.

He retired from Teledyne Rodney Metals in 1996 when Allegheny Ludlum took over Teledyne Inc.

Mr. Walsh also served two terms as the president of the Buzzards Bay Regatta, most recently last year, and he had been a regatta volunteer for 14 years. This year's event is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2 and 3.

As co-chairman of the Waterfront Committee, Mr. Walsh also helped coordinate the appearance of several Tall Ships during the 1996 Summerfest waterfront festival.

Mayor Scott W. Lang Friday night described the incident as a "terrible tragedy," calling Mr. Walsh an institution in the community.

Mr. Kenney, who has served as publicity chairman for the Buzzards Bay Regatta, said Friday night that people at the New Bedford Yacht Club were "stunned" by the accident.

"The whole thing is very strange, very surreal," he said.

On Friday morning, as Mr. Hathaway prepared to launch the Padanaram, Mr. Kenny said he and Mr. Walsh talked about Mr. Walsh's recent knee replacement surgery.

"He said how much better he's felt since he had the surgery," Mr. Kenney said.

Mr. Kenney said Mr. Walsh's wife is in Maryland visiting their grandchildren.

Correspondent Barbara Veneri contributed to this report.

What a tragedy.
reinforces how scary it is that we need licenses to drive a 3000lb car.
but a 55,000lb boat at 30kts. Pfft, we dont need no stinking license.

So, I guess the boat that hit them was called the "Reasons," but nothing is known about it other than it hit a boat, was 60-feet, had three people on it, and was taken to a marina? The CG does not have anymore information than that?
Sound's a little like somebody is wired in.

Searay 60 was the boat "Reasons".
CG has plenty of info, thankfully Fairhaven Shipyard has gates so not just anyone can walk into the yard and its keeping the retarded reporters the hell out.

Echo that. The local CG MSO guys we always dealt with for COI inspections were on the ball. I'm sure they will find propper fault with this one (pretty easy when the overtaking vessel hits the vessel to be overtaken)

Whats the guess?
Intoxicated and driving a 55,000lb boat?
Fiddling with electronics while driving a 55,000lb boat?
Talking to his guests driving a 55,000lb boat?
On auto pilot w/ no one on watch driving a 55,000lb boat?
Or just stupid while driving a 55,000lb boat?

No.
Stupid not paying attention runs down another boat.

And you're totally right about the licensing thing RIRH.
Christ even watching half these idiots get their boats on the trailers makes you wonder who's wonderful idea it was to let anyone buy a boat.

Kinda shocked we haven't seen a victim of pigs yet at Fairhaven Shipyard. Usually at least one person a year tries to drive over the rocks.

PS Joe: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/CoastGuard/index.html

DARTMOUTH — Investigators have ruled out alcohol as a cause of the fatal collision Friday between two boats on Buzzards Bay, but officials have investigated whether anyone was at the helm of the power boat that struck a Padanaram-based sailboat.
"Alcohol doesn't appear to be a factor in the accident," Sgt. Rick Sylvia of the Massachusetts Environmental Police said Monday.
Mr. Sylvia said that while investigators know the answer, they are not yet saying whether anyone was at the helm of the Reasons, a 63-foot, Gloucester-based power boat, when it hit the Priority, a 35-foot sailboat.
Experienced sailors familiar with the accident and the bay have speculated that either the Reasons was on auto pilot or someone was not paying attention when the accident happened.
Asked whether the power boat was on auto pilot, Mr. Sylvia said he "can't say at this time."
He said the investigative agencies involved will meet today and there may be a statement after that meeting.
The accident, which happened around 1:30 p.m. Friday about 2½ miles southeast of Mishaum Point in Dartmouth, resulted in the death of David J. "D.J." Walsh, 64, of Dartmouth, past chairman of the Buzzards Bay Regatta, and the retired president of Teledyne Rodney Metals, a specialty metals manufacturer.
Warren G. Hathaway, 66, of Dartmouth, publisher emeritus of Hathaway Newspapers, part of the SouthCoast Media Group, was injured but managed to escape the damaged sailboat.
Gregg Miliote, a spokesman for District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter, said Monday three people were aboard the Reasons — Fred Bevins III, 64, and Ellen Bevins, both of Gloucester, and a juvenile — at the time of the accident. Mr. Hathaway said the juvenile was the Bevins' grandson.
Mr. Bevins, who lists an address of 22 Honeysuckle Road, Gloucester, is the owner of the Reasons, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Web site. He has not returned numerous calls from The Standard-Times to both his business and his home.
Mr. Miliote said the District Attorney's Office has jurisdiction over the case because the incident resulted in an unattended death in Bristol County.
"I don't have a specific cause of death to release at this time," he said.
Mr. Sylvia said the investigation is still in its "infancy" and investigators are inspecting both vessels and gathering evidence from the accident.
He said that investigators have "spoken to" Fred and Ellen Bevins.
Although there were other boats in the area, Mr. Sylvia said there were no witnesses to the collision. According to the Coast Guard, seas at the time were less than 1 foot and winds were 5 to 10 knots, with visibility of 2 to 3 miles.
Mr. Miliote said both boats have been impounded by investigators as evidence and are at the Fairhaven Shipyard and Marina, but he would not comment on many aspects of the investigation.
"Everything is being checked. We are performing an exhaustive investigation into what occurred," he said in an e-mail to The Standard-Times.

Seen this in past years in BB to Sakonnet, no one at the helm of the boat, boat hits sailboat, as sailboat has right of way, assumes powerboat will bear off, gets run over, pob sailboat greviously injured or outright killed.

There should NEVER be nobody on the helm or atleast watching where the eff you're going.

Doing that should be on the level of criminal negligence.

I agree, however, that's what I have, seen and heard with these types of accidents.

Approx location of the accident.

I just think someone left the helm to take a break belowdecks.

If I can sit on the helm driving for almost 6 hours with no autopilot in 20 foot seas, this dink has no excuse.

total agreement.

Big boat, right into the cockpit
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/...emplate=photos

Me too. You shouldn't need or have to use autopilot under any preventable circumstances.

What a shame. There's always the few who make the seas dangerous for the many.

How does autopilot work? I'd never use it, personally.

If you can't be at the helm, then you ought to be on anchor or moored. Shouldn't be any different than driving a car.

Exactly. Put the frigging thing in neutral, take a leak, grab a soda, or whatever you need to do, then get back to the wheel.

Nothing against folks with piles of money.(I hope to be one in a few years...:^)) but doesn't that 60 footer just scream, "I'm owned by an ignorant douchebag"?

I used to work for Warren Hathaway - back in my printing days.

BL,

autopilot is a wonderful thing when used properly.
4hr canyon run, sit there and watch.
Thats the key phase. sit and watch. some one is ALWAYS at the helm, to watch for lobster gear, logs and other boats.

Doesn't get used on inshore waters much though.

I've not done a canyon run. Did the Plymouth to Race Pt. run a hundred times, but that's about it. Yeah, I suppose it's nice like cruise control as long as someone's always at the helm. But if you're at the helm anyways, what's the difference? You have to be on or near the wheel if you're spotting said gear, logs, boats, etc..

It (the crash) still just comes down to common stupidity though, doesn't it?

More like uncommon stupidity. I wonder if he has any liability insurance on that thing?
He going to be paying some nice change to the deceased family, it could even end up a wrongful death suit.

Bingo.
Primarily use it offshore on deliveries unless the weather is too far gone for it to control the boat. Sit in the back of the cockpit tethered in with your ipod on for your 4 hour night watch. :hihi:

Audio books and 6 years of This American Life in mp3 format are great for that.

much easier physically and mentally to just watch for pots etc. than watching the compass and wheel.

The guy on the powerboat didn't even know how to use his VHF.

Thanks for posting that link, I was very interested in what was going on with that case and didn't hear much about it afterwards. At the very end it mentions loss of "boating license". What boating license? Could they tell him that he cannot operate a boat anymore? One does not even need a valid drivers licence to operate a boat.

While I'm sure that criminal charges are appropriate, after all, someone was killed and someone is responsible, there likely won't be jail time as it was an accident. Is it not the Civil Charge where the monetary damages will play out? Either way, it was a horrible accident.

Not sure how they can say it's a homicide unless they can prove intent unless they're trying to throw as much as possible against the guy so they can "bargain down" to manslaughter (which is unintentional homicide) so they can send the guy away for a few years.
Civil lawsuits are after the criminal suit...they're usually brought on by family members. Both end up costing a lot of money...he'll probably be out at least $100K in legal fees...

I think they mean his Captains license which is required on a boat of that size.

Ahh, got it. Please, at what length does one need a Captain's licence? I have no idea.

If he has a ticket (license) it's gone, garunteed.
As far as what size.
As long as you arent carrying passangers or working for hire, you dont need one.....