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Idaho Falls man charged with manslaughter in boating deaths

Man charged with manslaughter in boating deaths
Man charged with manslaughter in boating deaths
Posted at 1:39 PM, Feb 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-22 15:47:06-05

Prosecutors have charged an eastern Idaho man with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the wake of a boating accident last year that left two Utah residents dead.

The Post Register newspaper reports 63-year-old Michael Kingston of Idaho Falls is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 7th. 

Prosecutors say he negligently operated a boat on the Ririe Reservoir on Aug. 21st of last year. 

According to court records, Bonneville County Dispatch responded to a report of a boat spinning out of control with no driver. The passengers were pulled from the water after the boat ran out of gas. 

Investigators said Edwin Neal Jenkins of Centerville, Utah, drowned after being thrown from the boat -- and his wife, Elaine Jenkins, died at the scene with severe injuries caused by the propeller. 

Kingston was also badly injured by the propeller, but survived the crash.

Witnesses told investigators that the boat was traveling fast when Kingston tried to make a sharp turn, throwing everyone from the boat.

An attorney for Kingston could not be immediately reached for comment.

(by The Associated Press)