DAVENPORT, Iowa — Following two days of jury selection, opening statements were made Wednesday, April 13 in the trial of a Pleasant Valley man accused in a fatal boat crash on the Mississippi River.
James Thiel Sr., 45, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter after letting his then-15-year-old son drive the Triton boat that collided with another on Aug. 16, 2020, on the LeClaire riverfront.
The crash resulted in the deaths of couple Craig Verbeke, 61, and Anita Pinc, 52, and their family dog.
During opening statements, the State of Iowa accused Thiel of assisting a crime after his son, under Thiel's supervision, raced a third boat operated by Ethan Mahler.
According to the state, Thiel's boat was speeding parallel to Mahler's boat while Verbeke's Bayliner boat was moving slowly off to the side.
Prosecutors noted that under law, boats must go to the right when approaching one another. However, Thiel's boat allegedly went to the left towards Verbeke, resulting in the fatal collision.
The defense denied any racing between the boats and that Thiel was permitted to take evasive action.
"No one is a bad guy in this case," Thiel's lawyer, Leon Spies, said. "Not Mr. Verbeke, Mr. Thiel, not Mr. Thiel's son. The evidence is going to show the Triton and the Scarab were not racing that day. They both are fast boats. They look fast in the water. They look big in the water."
Prosecutors said Verbeke's blood alcohol content was above the legal limit at the time of his death, but it shouldn't matter because he steered to the right.
In its investigation of the collision, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Thiel's boat was above its maximum capacity, he refused to take a field sobriety test on the scene and a witness recalled Thiel smelling like "stale liquor" after the crash.
The jury trial is expected to continue through April 20.
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