Boy, 11, Recovering From Boating Accident

Tue., May 2, 2000

An 11-year-old Deer Park boy was recovering Monday from head injuries he suffered in a Saturday boating accident on the Pend Oreille River that killed his brother and injured his father.

Chuck Gillam was out of intensive care Monday at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, and his condition was upgraded from serious to satisfactory. His brother, Max, 9, died Sunday of a massive head injury.

The boys’ father, Matthew A. Gillam, suffered a broken leg, while a family friend, Shannon Doddroe, 21, of Clifton, Colo., was uninjured and her son, Matthew E. Doddroe, 3, suffered only minor injuries.

Trooper Brad Hudson, a Washington State Patrol spokesman, said Matthew Gillam, the driver of the boat, is the subject of a “criminal investigation.” Hudson said a blood sample was taken to determine whether Gillam was intoxicated when his boat crashed into pilings that support the Usk Bridge.

Hudson said the 20-foot, low-profile bass-fishing boat was executing a U-turn after passing under the bridge when it collided with two bridge pilings and got stuck between them.

Witnesses reported Gillam freed the boat by reversing the engine at full power and managed to get the craft ashore before it could sink.

Gillam told State Patrol and Pend Oreille County sheriff’s officers the boat was capable of 40 to 45 mph, but that he was going about 25 mph when he hit the bridge. However, the speed limit at the bridge is 5 mph, Hudson said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: WITNESSES Whom to call

Anyone who witnessed the accident or who has information about is asked to call the State Patrol at 456-4101 or the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office at (509) 447-4942.

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