Search Continues for Missing Visalia Woman in Boating Accident
Ca. woman's body found in Colorado River, 3 missing
A California woman was found dead Monday morning in the Colorado River. Three of her friends are missing and presumed dead.
At roughly 7:30 a.m. deputies found the body of Chrisi Lewis, 51, of Visalia, in the water.
Lewis is the step-daughter of former Tulare County Sheriff Bill Wittman, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said.
Lewis was a nurse at Kaweah Delta Medical Center.
"We are deeply saddened to hear about the horrible crash on the Colorado River," Boudreaux said. "We know that there will be families right here in Tulare County grieving the loss of their loved ones for days, months and years to come and our hearts absolutely go out to them,"
Lewis, along with several others, went overboard after a boating collision on Saturday evening.
Three are still missing — two women and one man.
"This case has struck home here in Tulare County as some of the victims are from here," Boudreaux said.
The family of two missing women, Kirra Drury and Raegan Heitzig, both of Ventura reached out to Facebook in hopes the community would help find their loved ones.
Heitzig grew up in Visalia and graduated El Diamante High School, according to her Facebook profile.
"Please pray and keep eyes out for these four people if you are in the surrounding areas," the family posted on Facebook.
Two other Tulare residents were on the boat — Tabby and Brian Grabowski, family and friends wrote on social media posts.
Tabby Grabowski, a Tulare Union High School teacher, was airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas. Brian Grabowski is missing.
Boudreaux spoke with the family this morning and is in constant contact with them.
"We are also keeping in close contact with the Mohave County Sheriff's Office and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, who are heading up rescue and recovery efforts," he said. "And we're ready to provide whatever assistance they might need. Please keep the families of all of those affected by this tragedy in your prayers."
Deputies will continue to patrol the Colorado River until all the unaccounted for passengers are located, Mohave sheriff's officials said on Facebook.
Mohave County Sheriff Doug Schuster said on Sunday that a boat carrying 10 people and another vessel with six people on board collided head-on Saturday night on the river that borders California and Arizona.
Both boats sank and passing boaters pulled victims from the water, he said.
The boats collided between two popular marinas and near Moabi Regional Park, a well-traveled recreation area crowded with people enjoying the Labor Day weekend, the sheriff's office said.
Helicopters were deployed, and authorities scoured the shoreline to try to find the boaters. Divers have been sent out into the river's waters, which can range from shallow to 30 feet deep.
While the cause of the crash is being investigated, some witnesses said neither boat had their lights on and another said people on the boats knew each other and were playing "chicken," a game that sees what driver will veer first as both speed towards each other.
None of the boaters wore life jackets, which aren't required but are recommended by authorities, Schuster said.
Anita Mortensen, a spokeswoman for the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, said boaters not wearing life vests is a problem in the area.
"Unfortunately, it is all too common we have accidents on the Colorado River," Schuster said. "This case is a prime example. No one was wearing a life jacket. It's not mandated but we certainly encourage folks to do so because of situations just like this."
On Saturday night, authorities had to suspend the search because it was too dangerous to put divers into the dark waters. Efforts resumed after daybreak Sunday and Monday, and authorities closed off a stretch of the river where the search was taking place.
In addition to Tabby Grabowski, nine boaters were taken to local hospitals by ambulance, officials said.
Eric Sherwin, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire District, said sonar images of the sunken boat indicated that the missing people weren't on board, he said.
Contributing: The Associated Press, USA TODAY
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Source: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/nation-now/body-of-california-woman-found-after-colorado-river-boat-collision-three-still-missing/465-89695c6b-8b3a-45c4-b0be-c1786b976453