One killed, two injured in July 12 boating accident
John Mullen • July 14, 2020
All three were ejected from the boat in the accident
(OBA®) – A man killed in a boating accident on July 12 near Sapling Point in Wolf Bay has been identified by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency as Shannon Clark, 53, of Plainview, Texas. Friends said he moved fulltime to Orange Beach this spring.
Injured in the accident were Forrest Benner, 54, and Kellie Benner, 49, both listed as Orange Beach residents. Forrest Benner is in Sacred Heart in Pensacola in stable condition and Kellie Benner is in University Hospital in Mobile and listed in critical condition. Both suffered injuries caused by the boat's propeller.
“It was a single vessel that somehow lost control, all passengers were ejected from the boat,” Orange Beach Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Smith said. “There was one victim that was deceased and two victims taken to hospitals.”
Both police and fire units from Orange Beach were involved in the response as was the Alabama Marine Police, officials said.
“It was just outside of Wolf Bay in the ICW,” Battalion Chief Jonathan Wells said. “We treated and transported two patients. The bystanders said the boat was going around and around. The bystanders said that boat was going full throttle and going around and around.”
Smith said he had no direct knowledge nor was it in any Orange Beach reports if a kill switch on the vessel possibly malfunctioned.
“Normally boats come with kill switches and if the operator moves the length of that kill switch it can disable it and shuts the motor down,” Smith said.
Orange Beach Police responded with three officers aboard Marine 1 which transported the deceased to the Alabama Marine Police office at Perdido Pass where he was given to the coroner.
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