Arrest Made in Deadly Accident on West Lake Okoboji - Michael Brosnahan killed

Arrest made in deadly accident on West Lake Okoboji DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- A man was arrested for his alleged involvement in a deadly hit-and-run crash on West Lake Okoboji that killed a Dallas County dentist and injured his wife, state officials said Tuesday. Justin Allen Nearman, 29, of Sioux Falls, S.D., was charged with operating a motorboat while intoxicated resulting in the death of another person and operating a boat while intoxicated resulting in the serious injury of another person, said Kevin Baskins, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Nearman was arrested about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Sioux Falls. He was being held on a bond of $42,250. "It took some community support from Okoboji area to go ahead and ultimately lead to the arrest," John Quinn, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation's special agent in charge said during a news conference Tuesday night. According to authorities, a boat rammed another boat early on Aug. 12, vaulted over it and disappeared into the darkness. The crash happened around 2 a.m. Michael Brosnahan, 51, of Perry, was killed. His wife, Jill, 50, was injured. Four others on board were not hurt. The speed of the hit-and-run boat, described by witnesses as a white, 22-foot runabout, could not immediately be determined. Baskins said the boat suspected to have been involved in the crash was seized last week, however, he said someone other than Nearman owned the boat. The name of the owner wasn't released. "Based on the forensic work that we've done so far, we feel very confident that this was the boat that we were looking for," Baskins said. Another Sioux Falls man alleged to have been riding on the boat at the time of the accident was identified as Ryan Deighton, 21, of Sioux Falls. Baskins said charges likely would not filed against Deighton. Officials said the boat the Brosnahans were in was a 22-foot runabout that was traveling about 15 mph when it was struck. The boat was operated by the victim's brother, William J. Brosnahan, 40, of Des Moines. His wife, Elizabeth Ann, 43; the craft's owner, William Rizk, 37, of Dakota Dunes, S.D.; and his wife, Pamela Jo, 34, were also aboard. They were not injured. Dickinson County sheriff officials have said Michael Brosnahan was struck by the part of the boat that contains the gears and propeller. The collision was in the middle of the north-south lake and yards from the Manhattan Beach resort, which is on the lake's west side. Both boats were headed north in good conditions. AP-CS-08-23-05 1931EDT