Coast Guard Involved in Fatal Collision
A collision between a 33-ft Coast Guard patrol boat and a 26-ft power boat killed eight-year-old Anthony DeWeese and seriously injured five others last night on San Diego Bay. According to reports published by the Asociated Press, the operator of the pleasure boat — which was carrying 13 people — tried unsuccessfully to get out of the way of the patrol boat as the latter hit the pleasure boat from behind.
The rec boat’s operator and father of the boy, Alan DeWeese, told the AP that he tried to get out of the way of the Coast Guard boat which he estimated was traveling at 30-40 knots. DeWeese is reported as saying he believes he was moving at 2-3 knots.
No one aboard the patrol boat — apparently responding to a report of a grounded vessel — was injured, and the Coast Guard has declined to comment pending an investigation by the Guard, NTSB and local authorities.