Aussie boyfriend to face charges over deadly Phuket jet-ski crash

[snoop1130]

Aussie boyfriend to face charges over deadly Phuket jet-ski crash

Yutthawat Lekmak

 

Royal Thai Navy officers treat Ms Collie at Kata Beach where the collision occurred. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET:-- Police have today confirmed that the 22-year-old boyfriend of the Australian woman killed when their jet-skis collided at Kata Beach yesterday evening is to face charges of reckless driving causing death.

 

The man, Thomas Keating, 22, and his girlfriend, Emily Jayne Collie, 20, were riding jet-skis near Kata Beach at 4:45pm yesterday (Feb 5) when they collided in the water at high speed leaving Ms Collie with severe injuries to her neck and shoulders.

 

Mr Keating said strong sunlight reflected off the sea and made it impossible to see the jet-ski of Ms Collie, leading to the crash.

 

Lt Patiwat Yodkhwan from the Karon Police said, “Ms Collies boyfriend, Mr Keating, who was driving the other jet-ski when they collided will faces charges of reckless driving causing death.

 

“Ms Collie was pronounced dead at the scene her body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital.

 

Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/aussie-boyfriend-to-face-charges-over-deadly-phuket-jet-ski-crash-60934.php#LkbKVfyoPWKi0fsH.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-2-6

[Thaiwrath]

That's all he needs, after the tragic death of his partner.

[smedly]

don't agree with this at all, both were using dangerous sporting machines and were taking equal risks - misadventure and an unfortunate  accident nothing more

 

perhaps the reasoning here is someone trying to justify renting these dangerous machines to tourists to protect business interests

 

They are dangerous and should be banned not to mention all the other scams that go with this lucrative unlicenced unregulated business

[pookiki]

If he had been driving a Mercedes, everything would be fine!

[Slip]

Reckless driving?  Surely that must be a motoring law.

[nakhonandy]

Crazy, poor bloke.

[Psimbo]

7 minutes ago, pookiki said:

If he had been driving a Mercedes, everything would be fine!

Totally unconnected and comments about hi-sos are getting boring now. it's a different world and its not going to change.

[lemonjelly]

Local plod can see a way to make some money on this one.... sure.

[sweatalot]

1 minute ago, Psimbo said:

Totally unconnected and comments about hi-sos are getting boring now.

".... it's a different world and its not going to change...."

 

reason enough to keep it in mind and not allow it to be swept under the carpet

 

if you chose to keep your head in the sand ... your decision

you seem to be fine with every inequitiy (as long as it not concerns you, I guess)

[ThaiWai]

28 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

That's all he needs, after the tragic death of his partner.

I guess you are not one of her family members.  

[ThaiWai]

8 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

Crazy, poor bloke.

I kinda thought it was the girl that got the short end of the stick.

[Sphere]

He'll be alright....he can defer his community service to the year 3017.....at a hospital of his choice....

[gomangosteen]

This would occur in many developed countries. Sentiment plays no part when a car driver causes death of a passenger, regardless of their relationship, friend, spouse etc

 

Being charged doesn't mean being found guilty. I'd rather see a process followed

 

If the woman had died as a result of being hit by a jetski driven by a Thai who claimed he was blinded by the sun but kept on riding his jetski at full speed we'd have had a thousand calls for blood by now from the usual 'superior' posters here. If he's taken to court, investigated - cleared or found guilty, why shouldn't her family at least know what occurred? 

 

 

 

 

[ThaiWai]

15 minutes ago, Slip said:

Reckless driving?  Surely that must be a motoring law.

You are unaware that there are laws pertaining to driving boats and watercraft?  What did you think it was "Every man for himself"?

[Slip]

Just now, ThaiWai said:

You are unaware that there are laws pertaining to driving boats and watercraft?  What did you think it was "Every man for himself"?

So I guess it is a translation thing then.   I am aware of the laws rules of boating to a very small extent as an ex-boyhood sailor, but didn't imagine the maritime laws would be couched in the same terms as motoring ones.

 

I could be wrong but seeing this was an unsupervised unlicensed pair of pleasure drivers/ riders it would also seem odd if he is prosecuted under maritime law.

[scorecard]

8 minutes ago, gomangosteen said:

This would occur in many developed countries. Sentiment plays no part when a car driver causes death of a passenger, regardless of their relationship, friend, spouse etc

 

Being charged doesn't mean being found guilty. I'd rather see a process followed

 

If the woman had died as a result of being hit by a jetski driven by a Thai who claimed he was blinded by the sun but kept on riding his jetski at full speed we'd have had a thousand calls for blood by now from the usual 'superior' posters here. If he's taken to court, investigated - cleared or found guilty, why shouldn't her family at least know what occurred? 

 

 

 

 

 

Further, are we aware of all the known details?

 

Is there perhaps some  sighting of the guy deliberately going too close thinking it was all very clever?  

 

Who knows.

[mogandave]

This would occur in many developed countries. Sentiment plays no part when a car driver causes death of a passenger, regardless of their relationship, friend, spouse etc
 
Being charged doesn't mean being found guilty. I'd rather see a process followed
 
If the woman had died as a result of being hit by a jetski driven by a Thai who claimed he was blinded by the sun but kept on riding his jetski at full speed we'd have had a thousand calls for blood by now from the usual 'superior' posters here. If he's taken to court, investigated - cleared or found guilty, why shouldn't her family at least know what occurred? 
 
 
 
 

Thank you. A woman is dead, should not be taken lightly.

[Chang_paarp]

The cynic in me asks who is paying for the damage to the vessels? 
Is the poor fellow being held subject to negotiations?
Or is the new insurance scheme meant to cover this sort of thing?

[Mook23]

Sad. Accident. Empathy. Requested.

[guzzi850m2]

Strong sun light reflected in the sea so he could not see! 2 options: slow down or change course so you don't have the reflections in your eyes.

 

It's a really sad case for this Australian man; girlfriend dead and he was indirect guilty of her demise and now he faces charges on top+ perhaps paying for damaged (or ruined) jet-ski's, it can't get any worse for him and I fell sorry for all involved.

[gomangosteen]

^ the news article quoted inpost #1 states

 

Quote

Lt Patiwat went on to say that the owner of the jet-skis ridden by Mr Keating and Ms Collie has not taken any payment for damages caused to the jet-skis and that insurance coverage on the jet-ski entitles Ms Collies parents to a payout of B50,000.

 

[pookiki]

The whole incident is very sad and unfortunate. Under the laws in the US, any act that results in the death of another person will lead to minimal charges of 'manslaughter'.  In many of these instances, the death can be of a close family member or a good friend.  This makes the situation all that much more tragic. Whether my previous post 'bored' some of the TVF members is not the point.  There should and must be equality under the law if the law is to have any meaning at all. We should care. All life is sacred.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There's absolutely nothing in the article that gives any detail of the guy acting recklessly or in a way to endanger others.

 

He may have been, but if he was, there's certainly no facts presented to back that up.

[PremiumLane]

49 minutes ago, gomangosteen said:

Being charged doesn't mean being found guilty. I'd rather see a process followed

since when did Thailand's finest ever care about due process - probably just try to get some money out of him so charges will be dropped

[Thian]

Why not charge all the idiots who drive jetski's along a busy beach? Or the captains of longtailboats who go full speed over the Chao Praya with a load of tourists onboard?

 

If they charge him it will be all over the Western newspapers for a while...up to them. And they should also charge the Thai who drive like idiots.

[farcanell]

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

There's absolutely nothing in the article that gives any detail of the guy acting recklessly or in a way to endanger others.

 

He may have been, but if he was, there's certainly no facts presented to back that up.

 True.... he admitted the sun was a factor.... but that also means it was a factor for his girlfriend, who may have actually been the one riding recklessly.

 

mind you, I don't think I've ever known someone to not ride one of these recklessly, at some point or another

 

this is really a no win scenario.... the bloke will now need to blame the woman he loved, to escape the fairness of Thai law / police ( corruption)..... I hope her family understand this.

[samsensam]

 

if he couldn't see where he was going why was he driving recklessly and at high speed?

 

while it was a tragic incident/accident it appears there was contributory negligence which may lead to a prosecution, as it would in many other countries.

[Slip]

2 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

if he couldn't see where he was going why was he driving recklessly and at high speed?

 

while it was a tragic incident/accident it appears there was contributory negligence which may lead to a prosecution, as it would in many other countries.

Just to play devil's advocate to your scenario.  How about all conditions were perfect and he was suddenly blinded by a reflection off the sea?

As far as I know 'contributory negligence' is a defence rather than an attack.

[happyas]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

don't agree with this at all, both were using dangerous sporting machines and were taking equal risks - misadventure and an unfortunate  accident nothing more

 

perhaps the reasoning here is someone trying to justify renting these dangerous machines to tourists to protect business interests

 

They are dangerous and should be banned not to mention all the other scams that go with this lucrative unlicenced unregulated business

 Sorry, but i don't see anything dangerous about these machines at all per se.

As the old saying goes; its the nut behind the wheel that creates the danger.

By all accounts the guy was 100% responsible for this incident, that sadly took the life of his girlfriend and as in any situation where a life is taken, someone needs  to be made accountable for their actions.

If the jetski had  malfunctioned it would not be the guys fault, and then , yes you could lay blame else where, but there is no evidence of any such thing.

You and probably the majority of people commenting [including myself absolutely loathe the jetski operations and operators] but the fact is that a pair of adults made their own call to go and play on them, with the devestating end result.

No blame at all to the "dangerous" machine or the "scamming" owners/operators.

Just to keep it in perspective and the way i see it.

[tropo]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

don't agree with this at all, both were using dangerous sporting machines and were taking equal risks - misadventure and an unfortunate  accident nothing more

 

perhaps the reasoning here is someone trying to justify renting these dangerous machines to tourists to protect business interests

 

They are dangerous and should be banned not to mention all the other scams that go with this lucrative unlicenced unregulated business

 

They could run them like they do in Australia. They have set circuits which the jetskis have to ride along, making the risk of collision very low. This also makes it easy for the operators to keep an eye on what's going on.

 

They also keep them well away from the beach and swimmers.