Stone County’s Prosecuting Attorney Matt Selby and Missouri’s Attorney General Eric Schmitt announces charges against three people related to the sinking of a Duck Boat on Table Rock Lake in 2018.
In a news release, Selby and Schmitt announced charges against Kenneth Scott McKee, Charles Baltzel, and Curtis Lanham. 17 people died on July 19, 2018 when Stretch Duck #7 sank during severe weather and rough winds.
The news release and probable cause statement state Scott McKee, the Captain of the boat should not have taken the boat on the lake during a severe thunderstorm warning. It also accuses McKee of failing to follow policies by not having passengers put on floatation devices as the boat took on water.
Charles Baltzell was the Operations Supervisor of Ride the Ducks. Curtis Lanham was the General Manager. They are accused of failing to communicate severe weather conditions and failing to call off operations during a severe thunderstorm warning.
McKee is charged with 17 counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, five counts of first-degree class A felony endangering the welfare of a child, and seven counts of class A first-degree felony endangering the welfare of a child. Baltzell and Lanham are charged with 17 counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter each. In all, 63 charges were filed.
Details of the charges are outlined in the felony complaint.
In December of 2020, a federal judge dismissed charges against McKee, Baltzell, and Lanham.
(From: Ozarks First)
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