Warren County Sheriff To Release Investigation Report

Already besieged by Freedom of Information Law requests, Warren County Sheriff Larry Cleveland said his agency has decided to publicly release copies of its final report on the Ethan Allen tragedy, possibly by the end of the month.

Cleveland said he has concluded that the report is public information, since the Sheriff's Department has decided not to file any criminal charges in the case.

The report would include whatever conclusions the department will be able to draw about what caused the tour boat to sink on Lake George on Oct. 2, killing 20 passengers. More here ...

Traverse Legal will post the report (expected to be approximately 100 pages) as soon as it is released.

Comments

[snw]

I worked for the Shoreline from the age of 14 to 24, and I can say without a doubt some of the captains do drink. After work. In all my years of working for the shoreline on the waterfront and on the boats I never once saw a captain drinking on the job, or before piloting a boat. Captain Paris is a good person, and if he was administered a breathalizer immediately following the accident there is no doubt in my mind that he would have passed. In a small town such as Lake George everyone knows everyone - it's a fact of life - and another fact of life when a tragedy hits a small town - people won't be prepared - no matter their training they will act in desperation and do what their instincts tell them - which isn't necesarily what they should do. Fault them if you want, but it's only human.

[Ronald Zdrojewski]

Mr. Zoli, I, guess he pilots one of the other boats, emailed me concerning the same issue, which you expressed. The following is what I wrote to him.

Mr. Zoli,

I drove a school bus for one summer. I went from point to point to pick up school children. Before I could be licensed for this, I had to pass an inspection by an individual who did the certification. He and I were on the bus alone. He had me drive throughout the route that I would take, everyday, to pick up the children. At each real stop, he asked me what I would do at that point, even to the stop of a handicapped child. He certified me. Before he left, he inspired me with a simple, yet. a life informative message. “Every time you take this bus out, take it out as if it is your very first time. Remember, that you have the safety and lives of the children in your hands. Never become complacent with your regular routine, because it distracts you from awareness of what is happening all around you, and the children you have in your care. If you don’t know anything about engines or brakes, then educate yourself, because you are the one operating the bus with the responsibility of children on it. If anything goes wrong, you are responsible. Don’t depend on the mechanics, because they are not the ones driving the bus, you are. Finally, if you apply the brakes to stop for a red light and a brake line bursts, and you can’t stop and get hit by an oncoming car or truck and children are injured, you are responsible.”

Now let me tell you about a veteran bus driver in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He drove the school bus for years without incident. There was one area, where he had to cross commuter train tracks. On the other side of the tracks there was a traffic light, which only allowed for two cars to stop, and then the tracks and then the other side. The driver followed too close one day, and the car in front of him decided to stop at an amber light instead of proceeding through. Had that car proceeded, it would have been enough room for the bus to be in a safe area when a commuter train went through., however, there was only enough room for three quarters of the bus. When the safety gates went down, the driver tried to back up and go around the other side but it was too late. The train hit the bus. Well, I don’t have to speak of what happened after that. The fact is that he didn’t stop in front of the tracks, which all school buses are supposed to do. He had traveled that route everyday, and became complacent, by just driving over the tracks as everyone else did. But on that particular day, he failed..—“Complacency”!

My father taught us electricity, plumbing, carpentry, masonry and roofing. The most important thing that he emphasized was “Safety First. Get to know all of the machinery you are using, and even if you use it a hundred times, use it as if it were your very first time. If you come across a situation that you are unfamiliar, then educate yourself and practice beforehand.”

Mr. Paris became complacent. He may have taken the Ethan Allen out one or two times before, but my guess, is that he was complacent as always. He never approached the craft as if it were his very first time. Because it was out one or two times before, it was fine to take it out a second or third time. If Mr. Paris was such a veteran as you say, then he should have known his boat. The sound of the engines, the list of the craft with or without people on it, whether the bilge pumps and coolant pumps were working properly, and finally was there water down below. He did not inspect it before he took the boat on tour with people on it crammed like sardines in a tin can. He did not take the time over his many years of experience to inspect the craft before he began each tour, and he finally paid the ultimate price. He was complacent and ignorant of the faultiness of the boat. However, that does not excuse him for the deaths of 20 people, because he was the Captain in charge, with or without a second assistant on board.

The owner of the company is responsible for not having mechanics or technicians inspect every boat before it takes people on tour. Now you know, why I am angry and why I want them Jailed. It is flagrant consideration of tourists only to procure as much money as possible. If I can get Mr. Paris and Mr. Quirk jailed, then I will be satisfied, at least in your favor, they will be alive—My In-laws are dead.

Ronald Zdrojewski

Let me express to you that I have no ill feelings toward the people of Lake George and Warren County. I would like those responsible to go to jail, but if, after all of the hullabaloo is over, I will still pursue my boycott of tourism. Here is my objective. I would like the Sheriff somehow removed from his position as well as the District Attorney. He was not educated in forensic criminilogy, even to the point of the very first thing he should have done.--Administer a breathalyzer. Had he taken the action, I wouldn't be protesting at this time.

I have no power to get them out of office--the people of Warren county do. Get them out and I will end my boycott.

[Kenny Wood]

The tragedy on Lake George has definetly opened the eyes to the unsafe conditons of the boats that shoreline cruises operates. I agree with you that justice should be served for those responsible. The idea of boycotting the Lake George are though is rediculous! Why should everyone who lives in Lake George suffer more by losing thier main means of making money? Sticking with the lawsuit is your own buisness but bocotting Lake George is only spiteful, and doesn't really accomplish anything.

[Ronald Zdrojewski]

Why no formal charges? Please read the following letter that I sent the Sheriff's department. By the way! Anyone want to represent my wife in suing the County for Dereliction of Professional Duty?

Ronald Zdrojewski
20065 Kinloch
Redford, MI 48240

Warren County Sheriff’s Office
Sergeant James LaFarr
1400 State Route 9
Lake George, New York 12845

James LaFarr, Investigative Sergeant,

Respected Officer LaFarr, I am the son-in-law of William D Gilson. I am married to his daughter Janet Gilson-Zdrojewski. I am writing to thank you for writing to appease some of her frustrations as to what has transpired up to that point in time. However, it would be nice to have updates. We really don’t cherish the idea of waiting for an end to your investigation.

Over the last 16 years, since I married into the family, I have visited and enjoyed two of the most dearest people in my life. Since all of the daughters live far outside their bailiwick, and my wife works, while I am retired, I have had the pleasure to visit, do home repair gardening etc., as well as loving communicative interaction. I have interacted with them more than their own daughters. I have to say that I have lost the very best friends of my life. I am sad, I am angry.

We have been contacted by a reporter of the New York Times, that the driver of the boat was a retired State Trooper. We were told that your department did not take an alcohol blood test until 46 hours after the incident. Is there some kind of protectionism going on? I must say, that Jan and I are not interested in pursuing a law-suit of ‘wrongful death’, since that won’t bring her parents back to life. What we would desire, is to have all of the individuals involved in these killings, to be arrested and go to jail and end a good portion of their lives. This includes the captain and the owners of the Company, who wanted to push as many people on the boat as possible, so they could make more money.

I am very sure, the captain knew he was taking on too many passengers and the boat would lean one way or the other according to an uneven amount of weight of the passengers. However, the more people, he could get on board, the more money he would “take in.” Was this a push from the owners of the company or was he trying to look “good” as to how much money he could bring in? In any event, it seems to me that there is some kind of wait for a law-suit to pursue, and “let’s get it over”, and everything will quiet down. Not so! If no one is arrested for “Negligent Homicide”, then there will be a law-suit. My wife will pursue a law-suit against your department for protecting a retired trooper from dereliction of professional duty. You will be held responsible for Professional Incompetence.

Sincerely,

Ronald Zdrojewski
Home: 313-255-6945 Cell: 313-737-4373

[joe benedict]

I gotta say this. Sorry in advance for the run-on sentence. With the shape of the hull, and no keel, center of gravity higher with added roof, any halfway smart person could figure that was like putting 5 people in a clawfoot bathtub and then trying to take a corner. It may have 'floated' with capacity stated by inspectors. But in a straight line. I never ever would have got on that boat.This was about revenue per seat. period . It should never have been cleared for that many people. 140lbs or 170lbs a person doesn't matter. (30lbs x40ish =1200lbs)not much. That is a ploy to throw off the scent. this was about money, not safety.

[joe benedict]

I gotta say this. Sorry in advance for the run-on sentence. With the shape of the hull, and no keel, center of gravity higher with added roof, any halfway smart person could figure that was like putting 5 people in a clawfoot bathtub and then trying to take a corner. It may have 'floated' with capacity stated by inspectors. But in a straight line. I never ever would have got on that boat.This was about revenue per seat. period . It should never have been cleared for that many people. 140lbs or 170lbs a person doesn't matter. (30lbs x40ish =1200lbs)not much. That is a ploy to throw off the scent. this was about money, not safety.