Two Boaters Killed in Collision on Broad River, Boat Driver Charged with DUI

A boat accident claimed the lives of two people in Newberry County on Saturday night, August 1.

Officials received a 911 call around 9:43 that evening and rushed to the scene, where two boats had collided while returning to the dock.

Sheriff Lee Foster of the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office said first responders found one person seriously injured and began efforts to save her life. Sadly, she was eventually pronounced dead at the scene.

A second boater was missing, and rescuers searched the water. Unfortunately, when they found him, he was also pronounced dead.

The two deceased boaters were identified as Jamie Lindler, 27, of Chapin, and Andrew Bunnell, 28, of Irmo. 

Authorities say Dylan Steele of Chapin has been charged with two counts of felony DUI and running without lights in connection with the accident. 

There are hundreds of boating accidents each year in the state. Tragically, these can sometimes lead to serious injuries or death. Leading causes of boating accidents are operator inattention and alcohol use. People who operate boats are encouraged to pay attention to their boating, never drink and operate a boat, and take a boating safety course before getting out on the water.

If you know a surviving family member of a person who was injured or killed in an accident, please encourage them to contact our firm immediately. The consultation is completely free, with no out-of-pocket cost to the family to hire us.

For over 25 years the attorneys at Auger & Auger have been dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals and families that have suffered injuries or lost loved ones due to the negligence of others. We have years of experience guiding and helping our clients every step of the way to receive compensation for aspects such as medical bills, funeral costs, and other monetary loss. 

Editorial Note: At A&A we are always looking to improve the quality and safety and are saddened by the outcome of many tragic accidents across the Carolinas. The purpose of this news blog is to write about cases relevant to our industry and raise awareness about injury cases so that victims of similar incidents can educate themselves on theories of liability, the law, and how personal injury cases typically work. This article is created using publicly available information and is a secondary source. If you find any information here to be inaccurate, please notify us at [email protected], and we will make the appropriate adjustments.