A grand jury has indicted a tugboat operator on two counts of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the deaths of two fishermen whose boat was hit by a barge last summer.
Warren Luetke, 39 was negligent as the tugboat operator for the Bearcat, a 647-foot long commercial tug owned by Chattanooga-based Serodino Inc., when the barge collided with a fishing boat occupied by three men, according to the indictment filed Wednesday and Times Free Press archives.
Tim Spidle, 45, of Elizabethton and Richard Wilkey, 52, of Soddy-Daisy were both killed in the June 19 incident, which took place on the Tennessee River.
Luetke also faces charges of reckless operation of a boat and rendering of assistance after he did not stop until authorities flagged him down, the indictment said.
Luetke was arrested this afternoon and already has posted a $5,000 bond.
For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.
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This is ridiculous. The men in the boat that was ran over were under the influence of alcohol and/or marijuana. The pilot did not stop because he did not know that he ran over them. Although the pilot may be at fault somewhat, he should not be charged with a crime. I also wonder if the boat that was struck had navigation lights on.
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