Probation assessed in case involving fatal boat crash

A Jefferson City man was placed on probation for pleading guilty to charges in connection with a fatal boating accident on the Osage River in September 2011.

Christopher Winkler, 36, 4023 Oxford Road, pleaded guilty in April to one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault.

Sentencing took place Friday in Gasconade County where the case had been moved on a change of venue.

As part of his sentence, Winkler must also serve 120 days of shock detention and pay $30,000 in restitution.

According to a probable cause statement from the Missouri Highway Patrol's Water Division, Winkler operated a boat on the Osage River near Bonnots Mill. He struck two anchored boats, which had all of the required navigational lights on before the collision.

As a result of the collision, Alvin T. Blackford, 46, Russellville, and Curtis Libbert, 33, Tebbetts, died from their injuries. Three other passengers on Blackford's boat were injured. Mindy S. Campbell, 28, Ashland, suffered moderate injuries, while Robert E. Schoebinger, 26, Linn, and Sean J. Veit, 39, Lohman, suffered serious injuries.

The probable cause statement said Winkler was sluggish and moving slowly when questioned by officers at the crash scene. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had a strong smell of intoxicants about him, the report said.

When asked what happened, Winkler said he had taken off from his cabin on the river and was going upstream when he turned around and headed back downstream.

"I hit them," he told an officer.