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Auburn resident Jeffrey Sandow (inset) was charged with vehicular manslaughter after a boat accident that killed two people and injured two others on Englebright Lake. (Photos: CBS News)

A 54-year-old Auburn man who was under the influence of alcohol was arrested after a boat accident that killed two people Saturday night on Englebright Lake, about 65 miles north of Sacramento.

•   An intoxicated boater slammed his powerboat into the side of a family’s waterski boat on a popular Northern California lake.

•   A mother and daughter who were aboard the waterski boat were killed in the accident. The father, who was driving, was hospitalized with moderate injuries.

•   A passenger on the powerboat also was hospitalized with injuries. 

•   The drunk boater was not hurt but he was arrested on two vehicular manslaughter charges and booked into jail without bail.

The tragic accident occurred at around 6:30 p.m., according to a CBS News report.

According to the Yuba County Sheriff’s department, 42-year-old Paul Peterlin of Penn Valley was driving a waterski boat on the lake — with his wife Cynthia, 42, and their 12-year-old daughter aboard — when Jeffrey Sandow slammed into them with his powerboat.

The violent impact nearly cut the Peterlins’ boat in two, sheriff’s Lt. Damon Gil said told Channel 10 News. Cynthia Peterlin and her daughter both were killed. It took a dive team nearly an hour to recover their bodies from the lake.

Paul Peterlin suffered moderate injuries and was hospitalized, Gil said. A man who was aboard Sandow’s boat also was injured and hospitalized, but his identity was not released.

Investigators are still looking into what caused Sandow to crash into the Peterlins’ boat, but evidence showed that he was under the influence of alcohol when the collision occurred, Gil said. His blood alcohol level was not released, but Gil said the Auburn man was intoxicated.

Sandow was arrested on two counts of vehicular manslaughter with special circumstances. He was booked into a Yuba County jail, where he was being held without bail, Gil said.

Boating Under the Influence

Alcohol is the leading contributing factor in deaths caused by recreational boating accidents, according to the Coast Guard’s Recreational Boating Statistics 2011 report.

Laws against drunk driving also apply to drunk boating. The law, outlined in the Harbors and Navigation Code Section 655, states:

No person shall operate any vessel or manipulate water skis, an aquaplane, or a similar device while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, any drug, or the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and any drug.

Like drivers, boaters with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or greater are considered to be intoxicated. In court, a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent or greater can be considered “under the influence” if other evidence supports it.

Yuba County Boating Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented boating accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A family of tourists was rescued Friday after their minivan was pushed off the Balboa Island Ferry. (Photo: KTLA)

Ferry accident: Local boaters rescued a family visiting from Taiwan after their minivan was pushed off of the Balboa Island Ferry on Friday morning.

•  A family visiting from Taiwan wanted to go whale-watching, so they drove their rented minivan onto the Balboa Island ferry.

•   A Mercedes drove up behind them and rammed the minivan from behind, pushing it off of the ferry and into the water.

•   As the minivan started to sink, local boaters pulled up on both sides and rescued the family. No one was hurt.

•   The driver of the Mercedes said the accelerator had gotten stuck.

The accident occurred at about 9 a.m., according to a report in the Orange County Register.

The family, which included two young children, were going whale watching. They had driven a silver-blue minivan onto the ferry ahead of a black Mercedes. Witnesses said the Mercedes accelerated as it drove onto the ferry and rammed into the minivan from behind.

The Mercedes continued to accelerate, pushing the minivan  through a metal safety arm and into the 15-feet deep water. It floated upright for a couple of minutes and then turned nose-down and started to sink. The Mercedes was teetering off of the front of the ferry but it didn’t plunge into the water.

Some ferry workers tossed life vests to the family while another worker dove into the water and swam over to help. Two local boaters immediately pulled alongside the minivan and helped the family to escape.

Skip Staats guided his small dinghy along the driver’s side of the minivan, where he reached into the rear window and unbuckled the 4-year-old girl from her car seat. She and her 6-year-old brother climbed out of the window and got into the dinghy. The father got himself out of the window and into the boat as well.

At the same time, James Donoghue pulled his boat up to the passenger side of the rapidly sinking minivan. He manged to help the mother get out of the vehicle about 20 seconds before it sank completely under water.

Their lives had been on the brink of peril, but in the end no one was hurt. The minivan — a rented vehicle — rolled over in the water and landed upside-down on the bottom. Divers and a floating crane responded to the scene to try to hoist it out of the water.

Newport Beach Boating Accident

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented boating accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Eight people were injured when a boat exploded and sank in Huntington Harbor. (Photo: OC Register)

Boating accident: Eight people were hospitalized Saturday when a boat exploded and sank in Huntington Harbour.

•   Nine people were aboard a pleasure boat when the engine started sputtering as they tried to leave the harbor.

•   A gas leak caused the boat to explode, burst into flames, and sink.

•   Four people were blasted into the water and were rescued by emergency crews. The other five were rescued from the boat by another boater.

•   Eight people were hospitalized with serious injuries. Some required immediate surgery.

The accident occurred at 11:50 a.m., according to a report in the Orange County Register.

Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol Sgt. Jeff Foster said nine people — including three teen girls — were aboard the 24-foot Monterey power boat at the time of the accident.

The boat was pulling away from the Sunset Aquatic park launching ramp at Huntington Harbour when the engine started sputtering, Foster said.

The boat operator discovered that a mechanical problem had led to a fuel leak in the engine compartment near the back of the boat. When he went to turn off the engine — and turn on a blower to clear the gas — there was a massive explosion. (See video below.)

The blast was so powerful that it shook windows in nearby homes and threw four of the people aboard the boat into the water.  The boat was engulfed in flames and was shooting a huge plume of dark smoke into the air. Yvonne Wachter, a nearby resident, said the smell of burning plastic was so bad that she had to close the windows in her home.

Retired Harbor Patrol reserve officer Tom Cantwell called for help, according to an ABC News report. He then rescued the five people who were still on the burning boat while emergency crews pulled the other four from the water.

The fire on the boat was extinguished and firefighters took measures to prevent the spread of any hazardous materials, but the boat sank.

Eight of the passengers were seriously injured,Foster said. They suffered broken bones, scrapes and bruises. Two of them were expected to undergo surgery on their legs. Another, who was blasted through the windshield, suffered a head injury, Foster said.

Paramedics treated the victims at the dock and then transported them to U.C. Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Foster said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening. He also said it was a miracle that none of the victims sustained serious burn injuries.

Here is a cellphone video of the burning boat:

Huntington Beach Boating Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented boating accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Three women were killed in a boating accident in San Dimas.

Three women were killed in a boating accident Saturday when their jet ski collided with a power boat in Puddingstone Reservoir in San Dimas.

•   A jet ski crashed into a power boat in the launching area of Puddingstone Reservoir. They were apparently trying to turn at the same time. 

•   Three men aboard the boat were critically injured. A woman on the boat suffered lesser injuries. The three women on the jet ski died at the scene.

•   Authorities are still investigating the accident and are urging anyone with information to call the L.A. Cunty Sheriff’s Department homicide bureau.

The fatal accident occurred at about 4:30 p.m., according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Officials are still trying to determine what caused the deadly accident in Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park.

The collision occurred near the launching area, where the 20-foot boat and the jet ski were both attempting to make turns at the same time, according to an ABC Newsreport.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation, but it appears both vessels were engaged in a turn, and as they were turning one vessel collided with the other,” said Los Angeles County chief lifeguard Hugo Maldonado. “We’re taking this very seriously.”

It was not known if speed was a factor, but authorities did not believe alcohol was involved. Investigators determined that the driver of the boat was not intoxicated, but they did not yet know whether any of the three women on the jet ski had been drinking alcohol.

The three women on the Sea-Doo jet ski all died at the scene. They were identified by coroner’s officials as 34-year-old Mari-Con Abello of Escondido; her mother, 59-year-old Aurora Yeso of San Dimas; and 59-year-old Anesia Barba Bautista of Glendora.

Three men — aged 22, 35 and 36 — aboard the boat were seriously injured and were airlifted via helicopter to area hospitals. The exact nature of their injuries was not released. A 22-year-old woman who was thrown from the boat suffered apparently minor injuries. She was taken by ground ambulance to a hospital, where she was treated and released.

Moore said homicide detective were working with specialists from the Parks and Recreation department to recreate the accident.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles County Lifeguard divers and Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau-Emergency Services Detail divers were searching the water for a recording device that was mounted to the women’s watercraft.

Officials are urging anyone with information about the accident to contact the Sheriff’s Department homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous calls may be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

San Dimas Boating Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented boating accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Fatal boating accident: A Bay Area man was killed in a WaveRunner crash on Pyramid Lake.

A Bay Area man died Saturday in a WaveRunner personal watercraft (PWC) crash with a ski boat on Pyramid Lake in Castaic.

•   A 36-year-old man from Newark was riding a WaveRunner on Pyramid Lake when he suddenly turned into the path of a 20-foot ski boat. The two vehicles collided.

•   The WaveRunner rider suffered multiple injuries and was floating face-down in the water. The ski boat operator dove into the water to try to help. Coast Guard rescuers took the man to shore, where he was given CPR for 25 minutes.

•   The victim died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

The fatal boating accident occurred at about 1:40 p.m., according to a report in the Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

?Los Angeles County Coroner’s office investigator Kelli Blanchard identified the victim as 36-year-old Edgardo Almaraz of Newark.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Parks Bureau deputy Johnie Jones said Almaraz was riding a WaveRunner PWC and abruptly turned in front of a 20-foot ski boat, according to a report in the Los Angeles Daily News.

The two watercraft vehicles collided. Almaraz was thrown into the water and was floating face down.

The ski boat operator immediately jumped into the lake and held Alamaraz’s head above water until personnel from a U.S. Coast Guard auxiliary boat arrived moments later, according to a KHTS News report.

The Coast Guard rescuers lifted Almaraz from the water, put him on the boat, and took him to shore.  Parks Bureau deputies were waiting on shore and administered CPR for 25 minutes, until Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived at the scene.

Paramedics pronounced Almaraz dead at 2:22 p.m, Jones said. The exact cause of death was not yet determined, as Almaraz suffered multiple injuries in the collision.An autopsy is pending.

Authorities said alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the accident.

Anyone who witnessed the accident is urged to call L.A. Sheriff’s Park Bureau at 661-257-4362.

Boating Accident Statistics

The latest U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that collisions with other recreational vessels are the leading cause of injuries and fatalities on U.S. waters. In 2010, there were 1088 such collisions, resulting in 64 deaths and 747 serious injuries.

Personal watercraft are second only to open motorboats in terms of the greatest number of fatalities. The three most common vessels involved in accidents were open motorboats (46 percent), personal watercraft (20 percent), and cabin motorboats (14 percent).

Eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length.

Operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and alcohol were the top five primary contributing factors in boating accidents. Alcohol use is the leading cause of fatal accidents; it was listed as the primary factor in 19 percent of deaths.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented boating accident victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A boat caught fire on Lake Oroville during the Fourth of July celebration.

A woman was hospitalized with serious burn injuries after a boat caught fire during a Fourth of July celebration on Lake Oroville, about 80 miles north of Sacramento.

•   A family was celebrating the Fourth of July on Lake Oroville when their boat suddenly caught fire.

•   At least one person suffered serious burn injuries and was taken to a hospital to be treated.

•   Rangers are still investigating the cause of the fire. They do not know if it was an explosion or a flashover.

The boat fire was reported at about 9 p.m., according to an article in the Oroville Mercury-Register. State Parks Ranger Travis Gee said several people called 911 to report the fire.

The boat had just left Foreman Island, which is located on the North part of Lake Oroville, near the Foreman Creek Access Area off of the Oro-Quincy Highway, KHSL News reported.

Family members said the engine suddenly burst into flames. They said a 27-year-old woman suffered severe burns. They indicated that a younger girl on the boat also was burned, although no other news stories reported that.

The family flagged down a nearby boater, who helped get them off of the boat and transported the injured woman to a parking lot on shore, where she was taken — apparently by friends or family — to Oroville Hospital.

Cal Fire-Butte County Capt. Marcus Ekdahl told the Mercury-Register there was a delay in getting to the victim because rescue units did not know whether the other boat that was transporting the victim to the Loafer Creek Campground parking lot or the lot at Foreman Creek.

Ekdahl said an engine did arrive at Foreman Creek at about 9:30 p.m., but the injured woman had already left.

Park rangers told KHSL that fire crews and boats around the lake were prepared for any emergency that might occur in conjunction with the fireworks show, but the boat fire started away from any of those units.

Rangers said they do not believe the fireworks had anything to do with the boat fire, but they don’t know what did cause it.

“We’re not sure if it was an explosion or a flashover,” park ranger Travis Gee said. “That is still under investigation.”

The California State Parks Department impounded the burned boat and will inspect it to determine what caused the fire or explosion.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing burn injury victims and their families for 35 years.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.