Venice Boat Crash Fatal For Woman From Sarasota

venice boat accidentFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported A boating accident on the intracoastal waterway in Venice resulted in the death of a 41 year-old woman.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are still investigating the accident but have released the following details. At 7p.m. police officers from the Venice marine patrol found Alicia Starkweather in the water unconsious and being held afloat by John Antolak. Antolak stated the 17-foot bow-rider they were riding in struck a manatee and he lost control of the boat causing him to crash into the rocks lining the waterway across from Venice High School.

Alicia Starkweather was flown to Blake Trauma Center in Bradenton were she died not long after arrival.

Antolak was reported to have taken a blood-alcohol test at the scene and officers have yet to release the results of that test.

Antolak has not been charged yet however the accident remains under investigation by both The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Venice Police Department.

About the Author

Bernie Walsh

Education Bernard F. Walsh graduated from the University of South Florida before receiving his law degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1978. During law school, he was selected to serve as a research clerk and intern for a Federal Judge and the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was awarded The National Book Awards for Constitutional Law and Professional Responsibility during law school. Experience Bernard Walsh devoted the next three years to trial work for the State of Florida. This provided him with the opportunity to concentrate on his trial abilities, with numerous high profile trials concerning serious felony crimes. Since 1982, he has exclusively practiced personal injury law and helped accident victims in and beyond Sarasota and Manatee Counties in Florida. Mr. Walsh has been listed in Avvo, an attorney rating site, as Superb. LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell, an attorneys rating publication, has rated Mr. Walsh as very high legal ability and ethical standards. Mr. Walsh is listed in National Trial Lawyers Association as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and was inducted into Southern Trial Lawyers Association. He has also won the largest playground recoveries, one of the top three motorcycle recoveries, and the second largest daycare center recovery in the State of Florida. He is also a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum is a group of attorneys who have achieved career case successes that include multi-million dollar recoveries, settlements and/or verdicts.