High speed boat crash kills one man and injures another on Oxbow Lake
Kirk Magnuson, 71, died and a 56-year-old Taylor man was injured Tuesday after a boat carrying them went airborne, landed on its side and sank.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call at Oxbow Lake in White Lake Township at about 2:28 p.m. Aug. 25. The office said a preliminary investigation found Magnuson was operating the boat at an excessively high rate of speed when he lost control.
The boat sank in about 50 feet of water, Magnuson went underwater with the boat and did not resurface. The passenger was thrown from the boat, and people aboard a nearby pontoon boat pulled him from the water.
He was taken to McLaren Oakland and was listed in stable condition, according to the sheriff’s office.
Regional dive teams and Shelby Township firefighters assisted sheriff’s divers as boats equipped with sonar searched the lake. Divers found Magnuson about 50 feet below the surface and brought him to shore, where he was pronounced dead.
The boat was later recovered and impounded as part of the investigation. Investigators said neither man was wearing a personal flotation device and alcohol was not believed to be a factor.
“This is an incredibly sad and preventable tragedy. Excessive speed on the water can turn dangerous in an instant, and a personal flotation device can mean the difference between life and death,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “One person tragically lost their life, and we are extremely fortunate a nearby boater saw what happened, immediately responded, and was able to save the other individual.”
An autopsy was performed, and the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Magnuson’s death an accidental drowning. The crash remains under investigation.
Michigan boating law after a high-speed crash
Under MCL 324.80147, operating a vessel at a speed that is likely to endanger a person or property is reckless. That criminal rule is separate from a civil injury claim, which generally requires proof that negligent conduct caused the injuries and losses.
For civil liability, MCL 324.80157 states that a vessel owner is liable for injuries caused by negligent operation when the boat was used with the owner’s express or implied consent. Ownership and permission can therefore matter when the person driving and the owner are different.
Michigan Legal Center’s guide to Michigan wrongful death deadlines explains why the applicable time limit depends on the underlying claim and why probate status can affect who may file. The exact deadline requires case-specific review.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles boating accident, serious injury and wrongful death claims across Michigan.
If you were injured in a boating crash or lost a family member in a fatal boating incident, Contact Michigan Legal Center to ask whether the matter is within Michigan Legal Center’s practice areas.
There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.
Learn more about Michigan boating accident claims.