Man Accused in Fatal Boat Wreck Walks Out of Courtroom on Probation

A New Haven man accused of being drunk and operating a boat involved in a fatal accident with another boat in late July, 2020, on Lake of the Ozarks learns his fate Tuesday in a Camden County courtroom.

John Bennett had originally been charged with boating while intoxicated with death to another, two BWI counts with serious physical injury and careless and imprudent operation of a vessel.

Bennett had been accused in the accident which took the life of Dawn Steinkuehler of High Ridge and injured four others including her husband and daughter who suffered serious injuries.

At the sentencing hearing, reports indicate the prosecution cited that the case lacked criminal negligence which meant that Bennett could only receive a maximum sentence for the BWI of six months in the county jail and a $1,000 fine…the execution of the sentence was suspended.

Bennett was also placed on two years of supervised probation.