ON JULY 25, 2020, OUR LIFE ENDED AS WE KNEW IT.

On the evening of Friday, July 24, 2020, Marie, along with her daughter, husband, and two friends, were on a 2005 Formula at Lake of the Ozarks. Around midnight, they were heading upstream on the main channel around the 18 mile marker, when a 1995 Sea Ray, owned & captained by a drunk driver, John Dallas Bennett of New Haven, MO, collided with and ran over the boat Marie was on. Marie was killed instantly, and her daughter and husband suffered life threatening and life altering injuries.

The drunk driver, who's blood test wasn't taken until 4 hours after the crash, was originally charged with 5 felonies, including BWI with death to another, 2 counts of BWI with serious physical injury, and 2 counts of BWI with physical injury. These charges remained in place from July 25, 2020 until the first part of 2023, when a new prosecuting attorney was elected in to Camden County.
The newly elected prosecuting attorney, Richelle Grosvenor, dropped all 5 felony charges against the drunk driver that crashed into the boat Marie and her family were on, and charged him with 1 single misdemeanor count of BWI.

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, our family attended a so-called plea hearing at the Camden County Courthouse. A large, court appointed police presence hovered over our family and the victims the entire time, while impact statements from all of those affected by this drunk driving crash were read. After listening to all of the victim statements, pleading for maximum punishment and to re-consider the charges, Associate Circuit Judge, Michael Gilley, sentenced the drunk driver to 2 years of probation and a $1,000 fine.

Make sure your voices are heard when these elected officials start campaigning for re-election again. We know we will !

Lake of the ozarks
November 25, 2023 - pb2 ramp / 7am-3pm
$200 entry fee / per boat

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