Federal Judge Says Charges Should Be Dropped In Duck Boat Case At Table Rock Lake

A Federal Judge is recommending criminal charges be dropped against 3 men following a Duck Boat Crash in Branson that killed 17 people in 2018.

Judge David Rush says the charges against Curtis Lanham, General Manager of Ride the Ducks Branson, as well as on duty manager Charles Baltzell and Captain Scott McKee should be dismissed because Table Rock Lake is not considered a “Navigable waterway” under admiralty law.

A 47-count indictment unsealed in June 2019 charged the three with varieties of neglect and misconduct, along with failing to assess incoming weather conditions before launching the boat and not using PFD’s while conditions worsened.

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