2nd man facing charges in deadly Ontario boat crash, police say

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it has charged a second man in connection to a fatal May long weekend boat crash that left three people dead.

The OPP announced the new charges, which were laid under the Canada Shipping Act, on Monday – seven months after the May 18 crash took the lives of Riley Orr, Juliette Cote and Kaila Bearman.

Just after 9:30 p.m. that day, a speedboat ended up on top of a fishing boat on Bobs Lake, which is just north of Kingston. Orr, Cote and Bearman, who were all between the ages of 21 and 23, died at the scene. Five other people, ranging in age from 21 to 44, were injured and taken to hospital.

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It took five months of investigating before police laid charges: on Oct. 30, 44-year-old Matthew Splinter of South Frontenac Township was arrested and charged with three counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing death, three counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm, impaired operation causing death and impaired operation causing bodily harm.

On Monday, the OPP said it charged a 27-year-old man of South Frontenac Township with failing to exhibit a stern light on a power-driven vessel underway, failing to exhibit sidelights on a power-driven vessel underway and operating a non-human-powered pleasure craft without personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board.

The OPP said the charges are for offences under the Canada Shipping Act. The man, whose identity was not revealed, will appear at the Provincial Offences Court in Kingston, on Jan. 13, 2025.

The OPP added its investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who may have information is asked to contact the Frontenac OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

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