Boat Crashes Into Concrete Barge
AUSTIN, TX – A boating accident left two people dead and residents near the area are saying that the incident could have been prevented.
Shawn Hurwitz, 50, and Jennifer Walley, 34, both died after the boat they were in crashed into a barge Sunday on Lake Austin. Resident Kenneth Hausmann said that the lake is more dangerous now than it has ever been.
“A lot of people are from out of town,” Hausmann said, in part, “The other thing is, as Austin grows, we have more houses on the lake and more people. There’s a lot more boat traffic than there used to be.”
According to reports of the incident, there were five people aboard the boat. It was dark at the time of the accident, and police do not know if that played a factor in the crash. Campers in the area reported hearing loud music early in the morning. People noticed because that type of noise is unusual in the park. Pradip Dhaduk, one camper, said that people were able to hear racing sounds, assuming that it was more than one boat going back and forth over the water. A loud bang was heard and then nothing. It is assumed that the loud bang was the sound of the boat hitting the concrete barge.
People who know the area tried to stop the barge from being built, sighting safety concerns. People, especially those unfamiliar with the area, do not expect to see a concrete barge. It can be even more dangerous after the sun goes down and visibility is reduced.
Police continue to investigate the accident in an attempt to determine exactly what happened. Further details have not been released.
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