Thursday, June 11, 2015

A LEISURE BOAT PASSENGER WAS KILLED AFTER HE HIT HIS HEAD AT THE BOTTOM OF A BRIDGE IN TONAWANDA, NY




JUNE 11, 2015

TONAWANDA, NY

A boat passenger was killed in an accident on Ellicott Creek about an hour after sunrise Thursday morning, Town of Tonawanda police reported.

The victim suffered a fatal head injury after striking the bottom of a bridge near Thistle Avenue, about six blocks west of Niagara Falls Boulevard. Police have not released the name, gender or age of the victim.

“The boat was traveling down Ellicott Creek, the passenger stood up and struck their head on the foot bridge that crosses the creek,” Town of Tonawanda Police Capt. Joseph Carosi said.

Police said there were multiple passengers aboard what was described as an overnight leisure ride. Following the accident, the victim fell back into the boat.

“The boat came to a rest several hundred yards west of the foot bridge,” Carosi said. “One of the passengers got out and started flagging down traffic.”

The victim was taken to Erie County Medical Center, following the incident that was first reported to police at 6:46 a.m.

A portion of Ellicott Creek Road was closed between Woodstock and Thistle avenues following the fatal accident, police said.