Avery L. Gardner, 16, killed in boating crash on Ellicott Creek near Thistle Avenue in Town of Tonawanda, New York
Modified Date:
Mon, 06/15/2015 - 1:19pmAccident Date:
Thursday, June 11, 2015Police trying to determine who was operating boat in fatal accident
“They want to make absolutely certain that they have the guy who was driving the boat,” said one source familiar with the investigation. “That’s what the holdup is.”
The accident occurred after sunrise Thursday morning and resulted in the death of 16-year-old Avery L. Gardner, after she stood up in the moving boat and struck her head against the bottom of a foot bridge near Thistle Avenue. The boat was also occupied by her teenage boyfriend and a middle-aged male described as a friend of his family. Investigators are looking at possible alcohol use and the boat’s speed as contributing causes of the fatal incident. There appears to be no posted speed limit on that section of the creek.
Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death
After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?
Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.
Type: Boat Accident
People Involved:
Avery L. Gardner
City:
Tonawanda, NYCounty:
Erie County, NYArea:
Buffalo, NY
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