5-year-old dead, 2 people missing after boat flips

by CJaye | June 13, 2008 at 03:10 am

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Driver arrested; authorities say he was drinking

A 5-year-old boy was found dead on the bank of the Nisqually River about 9:15 p.m. Thursday, and two other people -- including the boy's 9-year-old brother -- were missing overnight after a boat operated by an allegedly intoxicated man capsized.

None of the five people on the 16-foot boat was wearing a life jacket. Life jackets are required by law for children younger than 12 on boats smaller than 19 feet, according to the Thurston County Sheriff's Office.

Lt. Chris Mealy announced about 10 p.m. Thursday that the boat's operator, Vincent Farler, 42, of Olympia, had been arrested on suspicion of homicide by watercraft for allegedly operating the boat while under the influence of alcohol. The crime is a class A felony with a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and a $50,000 fine.

One of the missing is the deceased 5-year-old's brother; the other is an unidentified adult male. The dive teams had been using sonar to search for the two in the dark Thursday night.

Anderson, who lives near the river, said the water is freezing at this time of year because of the melting snowpack from the mountains.

source: http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/477198.html