UPDATED Friday, December 14, 2012 --- 4:28 p.m.
MAUSTON, Wis. (AP) -- A 22-year-old man driving a boat involved in a fatal crash has had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf in Juneau County.
Prosecutors say Christopher Collins and four friends were boating on Castle Rock Lake last July, stopped at an island party and visited a couple of bars. With Collins at the wheel, the boat slammed into a bridge pillar on the lake. Passenger Michael Miklavicic died from his injuries. Authorities say Collins had a blood-alcohol content of 0.13 percent when tested at a hospital.
Collins is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and causing injury by intoxicated operation of a boat. The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune (http://wrtnews.co/W5orfW ) says Collins stood mute Thursday at a plea hearing. The judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.
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Posted Monday, October 1, 2012 --- 7:45 a.m.
MAUSTON, Wis. (AP) -- An Adams man is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle in a July boat crash on Castle Rock Lake that left one person dead.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports (http://bit.ly/V2f1QZ ) 22-year-old Christopher Collins faces a possible sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted.
The crash killed 23-year-old Michael Miklavicic of Friendship.
The complaint says Collins was driving a boat with four passengers on a July night when he struck a rock.
Collins allegedly told a deputy he heard someone yell a warning and tried unsuccessfully to steer around a bridge support. He said he had four or five beers before the crash. His blood alcohol level was 0.13 percent.
A message left at the office of Collins' attorney on Sunday was not immediately returned.
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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.