Boat crashes into bulkhead, one dead

MOTORBOAT with front end mangled.
MOTORBOAT with front end mangled.

CHANNELVIEW – Authorities were able to end their search for a missing boater Tuesday morning, when they discovered the body of a man thought to be Luis Gonzalez, 33.

Sunday night about 7:30 pm a motorboat traveling at a high rate of speed on the San Jacinto River, near Rio Villa, crashed into a bulkhead, crumpling the boat and seriously injuring two people on the boat, with the third person thrown overboard and declared missing.

Authorities reported that Galan Ruiz was transported by LifeFlight to a hospital with severe leg injuries, and Michelle Huff was transported to a hospital with lacerations, a broken leg, and internal injuries.

Sheriff’s Deputies and Texas Parks and Wildlife deputies said that the boat had a number of beer cans inside and nearby in the water. Ruiz had a blood alcohol content of .093 and was the operator of the boat. He was allegedly drunk, and has now been charged with felony murder.

The accident occurred near 18908 Sandbridge Court and Rio Villa Drive, in Channelview. After the crash, neighbors came to help the injured boaters, and are credited with saving their lives.

The investigation is continuing, and is under the direction of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.