Family Of July 4 Boating Victims Retain Legal Representation
The Harrodsburg Herald/Robert Moore
A Mercer County rescue boat responds to a boat collision on Herrington Lake on Saturday, July 4.
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
[email protected]
One of the families involved in the July 4 boating collision on Herrington Lake has obtained legal representation.
WLEX 18 reported last week that the family had hired two law firms to investigate the accident.
According to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, two boats collided: a wake boat operated by Cody Casey, 34, of Harrodsburg, and a pontoon boat operated by Alex Svintozelskiy, 58, of Nicholasville.
One of the passengers on the pontoon, Nazar Svintozelskiy, 25, of Nicholasville, was ejected into the water, according to the KFW. Nazar Svintozelskiy’s body was recovered on Monday, July 6.
Alex Svintozelskiy was flown to the UK Chandler Hospital for medical treatment after the collision, according to a Mercer County Fire Department Facebook post. Three other victims were transported to Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center.
The operator of one of the boats involved in the crash was located by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office on the night of the incident and turned over to the KFW, who are leading the investigation in collaboration with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.
Peterson Law Office and Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, both of Lexington, announced they are representing the family of Nazar and Alex Svintozelskiy.
Attorney Justin Peterson told WLEX a wake boat struck the family’s pontoon boat, which was sitting idle in the water.
“We are greatly concerned about the failure to render aid by people who cause an incident like this,” Peterson said.
“I’ll express the family’s sincerest appreciation to the two boats that came up to help the children and the other adults who did survive this crash.”
No charges have been filed in connection with the collision.
The tragedy brought together first responders from across the lake region, including Mercer, Garrard, Boyle and Jessamine Counties.
At last week’s meeting of the Mercer County Fiscal Court, Mercer County Fire Board Chief David Goodlett, also thanked the Rapid Response Services from Dublin, Ohio, who also assisted in locating Nazar Svintozelskiy’s body.
Goodlett said they were glad they could provide the family with some sense of closure.
“My heart breaks for that family,” Goodlett said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement via Kentucky State Police Post 7 at 859-623-2404.
