Found Deceased AL - Kelsey Starling, 26, boating accident, Winston County, Smith Lake, 4 Jul 2019 *Arrests*

[PastTense]

Another point:
"Initially authorities said Jodi Scruggs was driving the boat that struck the boat in which Starling was a passenger. Authorities have not detailed what led to the charges against them. The indictments state that both Suggs “did with criminal negligence” cause Starling’s death by “striking the vessel she was aboard causing her to be thrown there from.”...

Starling, a Troy native and speech language pathologist at Tuggle Elementary School, was a passenger in a 2012 Mastercraft wakeboard boat driven by 23-year-old William Jackson Fite of Decatur. Fite was booked into the Winston County Jail early July 5 on a charge of boating under the influence and has since been released on $2,000 bond. He has not been implicated in Starling’s death."
Couple charged with criminally negligent homicide in boat crash that killed Kelsey Starling

Thus Starling was on a boat driven by William Fite (who was drunk at the time) and this boat was run into by a boat driven by the Scruggs. It's difficult to see how both the Scruggs could be at fault--only one would have been driving.

 

[MFH]

Another point:
"Initially authorities said Jodi Scruggs was driving the boat that struck the boat in which Starling was a passenger. Authorities have not detailed what led to the charges against them. The indictments state that both Suggs “did with criminal negligence” cause Starling’s death by “striking the vessel she was aboard causing her to be thrown there from.”...

Starling, a Troy native and speech language pathologist at Tuggle Elementary School, was a passenger in a 2012 Mastercraft wakeboard boat driven by 23-year-old William Jackson Fite of Decatur. Fite was booked into the Winston County Jail early July 5 on a charge of boating under the influence and has since been released on $2,000 bond. He has not been implicated in Starling’s death."
Couple charged with criminally negligent homicide in boat crash that killed Kelsey Starling

Thus Starling was on a boat driven by William Fite (who was drunk at the time) and this boat was run into by a boat driven by the Scruggs. It's difficult to see how both the Scruggs could be at fault--only one would have been driving.

I wonder since it says that initially Jodi Suggs was reportedly driving the boat, if maybe the story changed and/or witnesses saw someone else (her husband) driving? So maybe they are both arrested until that is cleared up?

IMOO

 

[PastTense]

Suggs' attorney considers them great people:
"Mr. and Ms. Suggs are as fine a class of people as you would ever meet. They are universally loved and respected in their personal and business communities. They have both cooperated with the investigation of this boating accident since day one. It is confounding to us that the Alabama Marine Police Officer has now filed charges against the driver of BOTH the vessels involved in this wreck. It makes zero sense. At any rate, the Suggs vehemently deny the misdemeanor charges against them and look forward to being vindicated and put an end to this nightmare. They also want to extend their heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all the families affected by this tragic accident and in particular to Kelsey and the Starling family."
Cullman attorney defending Decatur couple in Smith Lake boating death

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 22, 2019
Lake search for Kelsey Starling continues (VIDEO)
Search operations continue for a Birmingham woman who went missing after a boat crash last month.

[...]

An underwater forest of trees, that weren’t cut down when the lake was created more than 50 years ago, has made it incredibly difficult for search crews.

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 22, 2019
Decatur couple 'vehemently' denies charges in boat crash which killed Kelsey Starling
[...]

The indictment states both Suggs "with criminal negligence" caused Starling's death by "striking the vessel she was aboard causing here to be thrown there from." Knight said Jodi Suggs was driving the boat when the collision happened and passed a sobriety test at the scene. The attorney said the couple have been cooperating with investigators since the accident occurred.

[...]

Full statement by the Suggs' attorney:

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 27, 2019
Pilot of Kelsey Starling's boat reaches plea agreement for Smith Lake crash
The 23-year-old man who was piloting the boat Kelsey Starling was aboard the day she died reached a plea agreement Monday.

William Fite was sentenced to 90 days in jail and a $2,100 fine for boating under the influence. Fite's sentence was suspended to two years unsupervised probation. He also agreed to pay court costs.

[...]

Search efforts resumed last week on Smith Lake to recover Starling's body. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Marine Patrol believes Starling's body is located in an area of the lake roughly 250 feet deep...

[...]

Man pleads guilty to boating under the influence after Kelsey Starling death
[...]

Fite also is on unsupervised probation for two years. The conviction is his first offense. Efforts to reach his attorney for comment weren’t immediately available, but Fite has not been implicated with any crime in connection to Starling’s death.

[...]

The Suggs, both 50, were indicted Tuesday by a Winston County grand jury on a charge of criminally negligent homicide. Authorities have not detailed what led to the charges against them. The indictments state that both Suggs “did with criminal negligence” cause Starling’s death by “striking the vessel she was aboard causing her to be thrown there from.”

Alabama Code Section 13A-6-4 states: (a) A person commits the crime of criminally negligent homicide if he causes the death of another person by criminal negligence. Under state law, criminally negligent homicide is a Class A misdemeanor, except in cases in which the criminally negligent homicide is caused by the driver or operator of a vehicle or vessel who is driving or operating the vehicle or vessel in violation of Section 32-5A-191, or 32-5A-191.3 - both of which deal with driving under the influence. The Suggs are charged with misdemeanor criminally negligent homicide. A court date has not yet been announced.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

SEP 6, 2019
Decatur couple will stand trial on charges in connection to death of Kelsey Starling
A North Alabama couple indicted for criminally negligent homicide in the July 4th boating death of a Birmingham elementary school teacher will stand trial on the misdemeanor charge in early 2020.

Court records show a Winston County judge set a February 3rd trial date for Nick and Jodi Suggs of Decatur.

[...]

Also see: Trial date set for couple charged in Kelsey Starling death

 

[ElizB]

BREAKING: Body located in Smith Lake awaiting identification

Hope they found Kelsey.

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 5, 2019
Body located at Smith Lake near where Kelsey Starling went missing July 4

• Officials with the say they have visual confirmation with underwater cameras that they have located a body.
• At this time, they are prepping for a recovery.

'These divers never gave up’: Kelsey Starling’s body likely found 3 months, 1 day after boat crash
Update: Diver’s recovered the body from the lake about 9 p.m., on their second trip down for the night. All divers made it safety out of the water, and the body was taken to the dock.

Earlier: "They are diving now to recover Kelsey,'' her father, Alton Starling, told AL.com in an exclusive interview. “There is a high probability it is Kelsey based on the location. These divers never gave up.”

The Houston County Rescue Unit divers began the recovery process at 7:11 p.m. He said it is tough, but the family has long sought closure. A close and future family member is on the scene to identify the body. "We ask for privacy in the recovery matter,'' he said.

[...]

 

[LadyL]

now her family can bury her and she can RIP

 

[TristanP]

OCT 5, 2019
Body located at Smith Lake near where Kelsey Starling went missing July 4

• Officials with the say they have visual confirmation with underwater cameras that they have located a body.
• At this time, they are prepping for a recovery.

'These divers never gave up’: Kelsey Starling’s body likely found 3 months, 1 day after boat crash
Update: Diver’s recovered the body from the lake about 9 p.m., on their second trip down for the night. All divers made it safety out of the water, and the body was taken to the dock.

Earlier: "They are diving now to recover Kelsey,'' her father, Alton Starling, told AL.com in an exclusive interview. “There is a high probability it is Kelsey based on the location. These divers never gave up.”

The Houston County Rescue Unit divers began the recovery process at 7:11 p.m. He said it is tough, but the family has long sought closure. A close and future family member is on the scene to identify the body. "We ask for privacy in the recovery matter,'' he said.

[...]

Wow, this gave me chills to read. I’m so relieved they found her. Thinking of a body being stuck underwater after drowning really bothers me...as if drowning isn’t bad enough, but then to be submerged indefinitely...

Hopefully this will give the family a slight bit of peace so they can stop living in limbo and perhaps begin healing a bit. They will always have a hole in their hearts but perhaps having her recovered will help.

 

[PommyMommy]

Wow, this gave me chills to read. I’m so relieved they found her. Thinking of a body being stuck underwater after drowning really bothers me...as if drowning isn’t bad enough, but then to be submerged indefinitely...

Hopefully this will give the family a slight bit of peace so they can stop living in limbo and perhaps begin healing a bit. They will always have a hole in their hearts but perhaps having her recovered will help.

I think it will aid in the healing process. Particularly, since the family assisted in her recovery as a result of their fundraising efforts. MOO

Body found in Smith Lake during search for Kelsey Starling
The body was located 160 feet below the surface using a Remotely Operated Vehicle, paid for through the fundraising efforts of the Starling family.

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 6, 2019
Kelsey Starling’s body recovered from Smith Lake
The body of Kelsey Starling was recovered from Smith Lake Saturday, three months after she went missing in a July 4 boat crash, according to Sgt. Chad Pate with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol Division.

[...]

Rest peacefully, Kelsey

 

[Steelslady]

Heartbreaking. Rest in peace, Kelsey. Condolences to her family and friends.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

160 foot recovery drive, that is a deep dive. Bless those people who do that for others.

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 7, 2019
Kelsey Starling's Body Recovered In Smith Lake
[...]

Starling's sister Megan posted a message on Facebook Saturday thanking volunteers and rescue workers for their efforts, saying, "The selfless, humble group of volunteer divers from Houston County Rescue Unit arrived back on the scene Thursday night and immediately began working. This was their 4th trip to Smith Lake, and they were determined to complete the task they did today.

"Kelsey Blue, the ROV that many of you helped to purchase, located Kelsey." Megan Starling was referring to a remotely operated vehicle purchased through a GoFundMe campaign after the July 4 boating accident.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 6, 2019
Smith Lake community reacts to end of Kelsey Starling search
[...]

The community has mourned alongside the Starling family. “I can never fathom how the family feels right now. But I’ll continue to send out my thoughts and prayers,” said CD, who works at a restaurant along the lake.

After ALEA indefinitely suspended their search efforts for Kelsey Starling, members of the community decided to take matters into their own hands. Nearly $70,000 was raised to purchase recovery equipment and continue the search.

Psychologist: family of Kelsey Starling may still have difficult challenges ahead
[...]

“This discovery opens everything back up. It’s a new way of dealing with the idea that now it is over and how do they incorporate that into their daily lives. That’s the challenge,” says Klapow.

[...]

He says the next six to eight weeks will be most difficult as they learn to live with this new reality, and how to move on without a daily search to manage.

“When there is uncertainty and trauma, people deal really well when they can be active. And there is no more active search. Now, again, another sense of closure, but also emptiness—now what do we do? Now how do we move forward? Rituals, religion, support by family and friends, grief counselors. All those sorts of things are what help people transition. And it is cliché, but time will help heal the wound.”

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 7, 2019
Kelsey Starling’s body found after 3 month search
[...]

This team never gave up, the divers were determined to find Kelsey's body. But it took a special device and a lot of dedication.

"When we arrived we were handed a blue ribbon and it went on the bale of our boat," Chief & Board President of Houston County Rescue Unit, Ashton Davis said.

[...]

"After this was over Kelsey was brought home we saw that it was extremely important to memorialize her and a small gesture by just tying a ribbon to the base of the tree where she was found," Davis said.

[...]

"Deep Trekker ROV roughly the size of a basketball, it's less than half the size of the other ROV's that were available. Which allowed us to navigate through the entanglements much easier and it also has sonar capabilities, manipulation arm, and several lights," Davis said.

"Kelsey Blue" was purchased through a Go Fund Me account and several donations towards the search. But the search meant even more to Davis who graduated high school with Kelsey.

"Knowing Kelsey personally it brought an extremely meaningful connection to this recovery, I still had to maintain a level of professionalism and keep mind the safety and risk vs reward for the entire crew and all the members involved," Davis said.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

OCT 7, 2019
https://www.troymessenger.com/2019/10/07/starling-recovery-gives-closure-after-long-search/
[...]

“We were all patiently watching one boat lowering the drop camera in the water and another boat operating the ROV from it,” Haley said. “The drop camera boat came to the dock and then we heard a yell. We watched the boat pull away from the dock and rush to the other boat still out on the water. We could see them all looking at the ROV screen. Suddenly, we were all on our feet with our hearts racing. Could this finally be it?”

Then the Marine Patrol police pulled alongside the boats and Haley said they could see the divers and ALEA officers embracing and shaking hands.

“We all raced as fast as we could to get to the dock.,” Haley said. “We heard the words we have all waited for, ‘Mr. Starling, we have located Kelsey.’ Immediately everyone – family, friends, (Houston County Recue Unit) members, ALEA shed tears of relief and pure joy and it was a hug frenzy from person to person.”

[...]