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Todays boating news from LOTO:

Guilty verdict in boating accident

Jury convicts Holts Summit man convicted of leaving the scene, assault in incident that left 44-footer on 15th green

By Joyce L. Miller

CAMDEN COUNTY - A guilty verdict handed down by a Camden County jury in a boating- accident case sends a clear message, according the prosecutor: When it comes to public safety on the water, the law will be enforced.

Charged with leaving the scene of an accident and two counts of assault, Leonard Thompson of Holts Summit could spend up to 18 months in jail for a boating accident that occurred nearly three years ago.

Thompson will be sentenced in April by Judge James Franklin who heard the case and ordered a presentence investigation.

It will be up to the judge to make the final decision on sentencing. In the meantime, Thompson remains free on bond.

It took the jury of seven men and five women less than four hours to return with the guilty verdict.

The prosecution argued that Thompson lost control of his 44-foot Sea Ray and ran aground on the 15th hole of the Porto Cima golf course near the 16-mile marker.

The accident occurred around 3 a.m. July 29, 2000. Two passengers were injured.

The jury recommended a total sentence of 18 months in jail - one year for leaving the scene and three months on each of the other charges.

The 10-ton boat hit the shoreline with enough momentum to drive it onto the golf course. Thompson was believed to have been traveling at about 38 mph.

Thompson left the wreck on foot, leaving behind the two women to whom he had offered a ride earlier in the evening. The witnesses said Thompson had been drinking that night but he was never charged with an alcohol-related offense.

Thompson was located several hours after the accident at a relative's home on Shawnee Bend. The passengers used a cell phone to call for help.

Camden County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Icenogle said he was pleased with the jury's recommendation. The case has taken a long time to come to trial but that shouldn't distract from the importance of the verdict, he said.

"The jury did the right thing," Icenogle said. "We have to make every effort to enforce the boating safety laws on Lake of the Ozarks."

Yea, But he didn't get the DUI!!!;) :D ;)

Why not just take the passangers with you???? I think its a pretty hard sentance unless the passangers actually got hurt. :rolleyes:

The passengers did sustain injuries. Nothing serious though.

Everyone should be happy he didn't kill someone on the water or in his case land.

FFFFFFFFOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRREEEEEEEE!!!

Hey Swanson. Move over I'm driving!

HEY!! you scratched my ancor!

I used to have a picture of this 44 footer sitting on the golf course. I'll post it later if I can find it.

You've got to wonder what this guy was thinking. It's not like they're not going to figure out who he is!
He would have probably got a lighter sentence if he stayed with the boat, called the cops himseld, and got the BUI.
But then again, if I was at the lake, my wife was in KC, and I just crashed my boat after picking up two 18 year old girls at Topsiders at 2AM. I might panic too.
Gary

Rumor has it, that neither of the
two women were his WIFE:eek: :eek: :eek:

Niiiiccceee..........:D ;)

First picture:rolleyes:

Second picture:rolleyes:

He obviously left the scene so that he could sober up.

I think 18 months sounds about right for BEING A DRUNKEN IDIOT! :mad:

What a dork. I bet they gave him extra for leaving his fenders out:eek: :D You could be in a 51 foot Outerlimits and I would still think you were a dork if you left the fenders out.:D

he should have taken his Mulligan

:D :D :D

Uh......I know it's been awhile since you've been boating and all, but Havasu is a lake and there are no low tide periods. PLUS, the only lake I know of with whales on it is LOTO. :) :)

both pictures are funny as hell. Love those hillbillies. Damn glad I boat in Fl. Nobody would go to jail for that.

LMFAO!!:D :D :D

A lot of us LOTO boaters knew Chuck Thompson and saw the boat on the course the morning after it happened - it was crazy! Not to defend his irresponsibility here, but he was newly divorced from his wife at that time and REALLY in a bad place. The story I heard was that he was down in the cabin with one of the girls and had let the other girl drive the boat.

I bet the club was pissed when the crane drove the course to move it. That must have been funny to see a boat that you knew parked on the course. I'm still lmfao.

no crane

Duchess,
Down below with one of the girls ....Surprise surprise

Why would they move it? Put a put-put portion over there and have that as one of the obstacels!!!

Gee.........I can see why you guys really boast about LOTO. That lake looks huge. (yeah right) :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D :D

good pictures of the sea ray... the blood that was in the boat isn't visible though... i was there boating with a buddy when we heard about it. we were leaving that morning but took the ride to the golf course to check it out. was unbelievable

Jail for boat wreck

County time assessed for driver of boat that landed on golf course

By Joyce L. Miller

LAKE OF THE OZARKS - The Camden County Prosecuting Attorney got what he asked for - a stiff sentence for a Holts Summit man who fled after running his 44-foot cruiser aground on a lakefront golf course and left two injured passengers behind.

Leonard Thompson has been ordered to serve 18 months in the Camden County Jail and pay $6,000 in fines for felony leaving the scene of an accident and negligent operation of a boat.

Thompson was sentenced earlier this week by Judge James Franklin. The charges stemmed from a July 29, 2000, accident that injured two passengers.

Thompson was convicted following a four-day jury trial in February. The jury recommended an 18-month sentence: one year for leaving the scene and three months on each of the other two charges. Sentencing guidelines for leaving the scene and negligent operation allow the court to impose the fines.

Franklin upheld the sentencing recommendation but ruled that the three sentences would be served concurrently. Franklin also temporarily set aside the $5,000 fine and gave Thompson a few days to raise the money for his appeal bond.

According to testimony during court proceedings, Thompson lost control of his 44-foot Sea Ray, and ran aground at a high rate of speed on the 15th hole of the Porto Cima Golf Course at the 16-mile marker. The 10-ton boat hit the shoreline with enough momentum to drive it onto the golf course.

Thompson left the wreck on foot, leaving behind two injured women he had met just hours before the accident.

The women used a cell phone to call for help.

Thompson was located later in the day at the home of a relative on Shawnee Bend.

The women said the only time they saw Thompson after the wreck was after he jumped off the boat and ran across the golf course.

During the trial, Camden County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Icenogle asked the court to impose a stiff sentence to send a clear message that irresponsible behavior is not going to be tolerated on Lake of the Ozarks.

Don't you mean Forty Four!!!

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