Month: July 2026

By Kayla Moeller

Click here for updates on this story

    NEVADA COUNTY, California (KOVR) — A Nevada County teen is spending his summer preparing for college and building something he hopes will one day save lives.

Winter Flight Rescue is a drone that could be capable of rescuing people in remote areas.

“This is my workshop where Winter was born. I spend almost 40 hours a week down here designing,” said Lev Weisswasser, from Nevada County.

Behind mom and dad’s house, a shed has become a launchpad for the recent Nevada Union High School grad’s big idea, which is starting to take flight. It’s a new company, shaped by years of spending time outdoors and whitewater kayaking.

“Out here we run a very remote gorge and one of my friends got stuck, pinned in a rapid, where water was almost going over his face,” said Weisswasser. “Had we had equipment or a drone there to help relieve pressure from above, it would’ve dramatically helped the situation.”

His friend made it out safely. But experiences like that are what inspired him to create Winter Flight Rescue, or ‘Winter.’ It’s a drone capable of navigating difficult terrain in remote areas with no service, maybe in the depths of a canyon, or maybe in the middle of a blizzard.

“Imagine the drone being four times bigger. It’s going to fly over the person autonomously, find them using thermal sensing, and then drop whatever equipment they need to the person,” said Weisswasser.

Whether that be a food and water package or an AED, the drone can find a person, deliver supplies, and communicate with them in real time.

Weisswasser is raising money for a prototype, but the coding is already there. He’s built 263 drones, even winning 6th in the drone racing world championship, and he says this rescue drone will be his best one yet.

“Every week we’re here on Earth something new is happening that’s groundbreaking in technology at a rate of pace, in my opinion, we’ve never seen in humanity,” he said. “We’re designing it as we go, and I don’t think six months ago this would’ve been able to work.”

For Weisswasser, learning never stops. And as his knowledge grows, so does Winter.

“Any of those mountainous areas, you’re going to get out of cell phone service very quickly,” said Sergeant Dustin Moe with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.

Moe is a search and rescue team lead with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Moe’s team already uses drones, carrying out more than 100 missions a year. But he believes Weisswasser’s vision could take that technology even further.

“It’s awesome. I love seeing people pushing the boundaries, trying to come up with new ways to do things. That’s the way we always better ourselves,” said Moe. “What he’s developing here, I think, is another step beyond that and would be a great asset.”

For now, the work continues in the shed behind Weisswasser’s parents’ house.

“When I’ll feel successful and when I’ll feel like my company has actually done something good, is when I get my first letter in the mail from a wife, husband, child saying that my product made the difference between life and death for their loved one,” said Weisswasser.

Because for him, every line of code is written with the hope of saving a life.

At the end of this month, Weisswasser says he’ll be heading to San Francisco to pitch his company to Sam Altman at the Y Combinator startup school event.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Brian Maass

Click here for updates on this story

    FORT COLLINS, California (KOVR) — A Nebraska man who stopped to help victims of a devastating motorcycle crash instead found himself handcuffed, jailed and accused of driving under the influence — despite repeatedly asking officers to administer a breath test that he believed would prove his innocence.

Now, nearly five years later, the City of Fort Collins has paid Jesse Cunningham $500,000 to settle his lawsuit. Cunningham’s attorney says it is the largest settlement ever reached in a wrongful DUI arrest case, though no national database tracks such settlements. As part of the agreement, the city does not admit wrongdoing.

Fort Collins Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said on Monday, “..we chose to resolve this one (lawsuit) initiated by Cunningham to avoid the continued expense and disruption of ongoing litigation. The agreed- upon financial settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the City and Police Services.”

The settlement stems from Cunningham’s arrest following a serious motorcycle crash in Fort Collins in July of 2021.

According to police body camera video, investigative reports and court records obtained by CBS News Colorado, Cunningham, who has medical training, rushed to assist the injured riders while he, his wife and their daughters were wrapping up a Colorado vacation. Cunningham provided first aid that he says helped save the life of one of the injured motorcyclists.

But as emergency responders secured the crash scene, attention shifted away from the victims and onto Cunningham.

Fort Collins Police Officer Jason Haferman reported smelling alcohol on Cunningham. Cunningham told the officer he had consumed two beers several hours earlier.

Within minutes, Cunningham went from good Samaritan to DUI suspect.

“Just the audacity of how I felt the situation had turned. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe what was going on,” Cunningham told CBS Colorado.

Body camera video shows Cunningham repeatedly asking Officer Haferman to administer a breath test.

“Can we do a breath test?” he asks.

Cunningham maintained that a breath test would quickly demonstrate he was not impaired.

Later, after continuing the DUI investigation, Cunningham again questioned why he was not being allowed to take one.

“So even if I pass a Breathalyzer I still get charged?” he asked Haferman.

Instead, Haferman required Cunningham to perform roadside sobriety tests, which the officer concluded Cunningham failed.

The breath test Cunningham repeatedly requested was never administered.

Haferman arrested Cunningham on suspicion of DUI. Because Cunningham’s minor daughters were in the vehicle, he was also arrested on suspicion of child abuse.

Haferman said he did not allow Cunningham to take a breath test because the Nebraska resident had a prescription for Adderall. Haferman expressed concern that Adderall could affect the breath test.

Cunningham had told the officer that he had not taken any Adderall recently because he had not brought the medication with him on vacation. He eventually took a blood test.

The consequences of the case extended well beyond the arrest.

Cunningham said the arrest cost him a possible promotion at work. Child Protective Services opened an investigation into the child abuse allegation, visiting his home in Nebraska, interviewed his daughters, contacted their physician and Cunningham says he was required to submit to regular urinalysis testing while the criminal case was pending.

Three months later, laboratory testing was complete.

According to test records from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, blood tests from Cunningham showed no alcohol or drugs. Prosecutors dismissed the criminal case.

“Now I can with 100% surety say that I was innocent that evening,” said Cunningham.

Although the criminal case ended, Cunningham said he could not simply move on.

He filed a federal lawsuit against Officer Haferman and the City of Fort Collins, alleging that he was wrongfully arrested despite repeatedly requesting a breath test and despite laboratory evidence ultimately establishing that he had neither alcohol nor drugs in his system.

“There’s certain things in life and certain things that I know you have to draw a line in the sand, and I need to stand up and do what’s right. This is one of those line-in-the-sand moments,” said Cunningham.

Cunningham’s background made the experience particularly jarring. He served two combat tours in Iraq as a military police officer, later worked for the Federal Protective Service and now leads a nonprofit honoring members of the military and first responders, including police officers.

Despite that background, he says the arrest permanently changed his perception of law enforcement.

“It just made me extremely cautious. I shouldn’t feel uneasy when law enforcement is around. Unfortunately, now I do.”

Cunningham said no financial settlement can undo what his family endured.

“It was me standing up for myself and defending myself against what I felt was extreme injustice.”

The Cunningham case was not the first DUI arrest by Officer Haferman that later unraveled after laboratory testing.

A previous CBS News Colorado investigation documented nine DUI arrests in a single year in which people arrested by Haferman were later found through laboratory testing to have no alcohol or drugs in their systems.

Haferman resigned from Fort Collins Police Services in 2022, one day before Police Chief Jeff Swoboda planned to terminate his employment.

Colorado law allows officers investigating impaired driving to request chemical testing after an arrest. Officers also commonly use preliminary roadside breath tests during DUI investigations, although those tests are generally considered investigative tools rather than evidentiary tests. Whether to administer a roadside breath test rests with the investigating officer under the circumstances of the stop.

Cunningham’s lawyer, Sarah Schielke, was asked what she hoped other law enforcement agencies learned from this case and the settlement.

“If you as a police agency say the more DUI arrests you make the better you’re doing at your job, then officers are going to have incentives to arrest innocent people,” said Schielke.

She questioned the police Chief’s explanation for settling the case for $500,000.

“Cities don’t pay half a million dollars to settle a case when they believe they made a good DUI arrest,” observed Schielke.

Colorado state records show Haferman is no longer certified as a peace officer in the state. Cunningham says he still respects law enforcement as a whole. But he says, “There’s no sense of justice when you’ve been victimized, no amount of money is going to make up for what my family went through.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Maddie White

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — One of the survivors of Tuesday’s deadly boat capsizing near Alcatraz Island is speaking publicly for the first time, describing the frantic moments she escaped the sinking vessel and the heartbreak of watching her mother disappear beneath the water.

Stephanie Gollmer, a Palo Alto nurse, survived after the 49-foot cabin cruiser Volare capsized in San Francisco Bay. But her mother, 74-year-old Carol Boisa, and her aunt, Jackie Boisa, remain missing.

The tragedy unfolded during what was meant to be a memorial boat trip for a deceased family member. Twenty people were aboard the Stockton-based vessel when it overturned about 600 yards west of Alcatraz Island. Sixteen people were rescued. One passenger, 78-year-old Clifford Boisa, died at the scene, and authorities later recovered the body of 58-year-old Tondra Miller, also known as Tondra Madruga, on Thursday.

Speaking exclusively to CBS News Bay Area, Gollmer said nothing seemed out of the ordinary before disaster struck.

“Everyone was just fun, jovial, fun conversations,” she said. “There was nothing amiss, nothing.”

Family members had been enjoying the trip, taking in the scenery and recording videos together. One video captured Carol Boisa affectionately petting a friend’s bulldog just 30 minutes before the boat capsized.

Gollmer said she and her mother had moved inside the cabin after being splashed by waves.

“Mom and I were sitting on the deck for a little bit and just enjoying the views,” she said. “We got splashed a few times and then kind of decided, let’s go inside.”

Moments later, everything changed.

“There was one really far tilt this way, and we all went, ‘Oh,’ and then we all started going this way,” Gollmer recalled. “Then we just realized my mom just went down. My aunt slid past me in a chair, and then realized, we’re not going back.”

As the boat filled with water, Gollmer escaped by diving through a cabin window. Disoriented underwater, she struggled to find the surface.

“I hit my head three or four times just trying to find the surface,” she said.

When she finally emerged, she realized she was bleeding from the head. But her injuries quickly became secondary as she searched desperately for her mother.

“I started kind of watching one by one and I go, ‘I don’t see my mom. I don’t see Mom,’ ” she said.

Although search efforts continue, Gollmer said she no longer believes her mother survived.

Carol Boisa spent her life caring for others, both as a mother and as an in-home caregiver. Gollmer said her mother’s last known conversation was with fellow passenger Tondra Madruga, who also died, about how proud she was of her daughter.

“Shared a story of how proud she was of me being a nurse and living her dream,” Gollmer said. “And I will forever hold that close.”

While floating in the cold waters of San Francisco Bay, Gollmer said strangers became her lifeline.

She credited a kite surfer named Jason with helping multiple survivors stay afloat by allowing them to hold onto the handles of his board. She also thanked another man named Jeff, who brought her aboard his boat and wrapped her in blankets until rescuers arrived.

“I owe Jason and Jeff everything,” Gollmer said. “If I could somehow meet you and give you a big handshake, hug, whatever you’re comfortable with.”

As authorities continue searching for Carol and Jackie Boisa, Gollmer is making one final request in honor of her mother.

After one of Carol Boisa’s former clients died, she adopted the client’s elderly cat, Miss Tina, to ensure the animal would have a home. Now, Gollmer hopes someone else will do the same.

“If there’s anyone out there that would love to take in a sweet, loving little elderly cat,” she said. “Please reach out and see if it’s a good match.”

She said finding Miss Tina a loving home would be another way to honor a woman whose life centered on caring for others.

“A lot of her favorite memories were hanging out with family,” Gollmer said. “Family was everything to her.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Dean Fioresi

Click here for updates on this story

    BIG BEAR, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A member of the beloved Big Bear bald eagle family was rescued by wildlife officials after it was involved in a fight, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.

In a news release, LA County Parks officials said that the San Dimas Raptor Rescue team was dispatched to rescue an eagle at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. They made the more-than-two-hour trip to Big Bear and located the injured eagle, which was being monitored by San Bernardino County Fire Department personnel from Fire Station 96.

Friends of Big Bear Valley, the local nonprofit wildlife organization behind the famous Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam, says that an adult bald eagle was observed on the ground near Dana Point Park late Friday night near Dana Point Park, where it was also observed the prior day as well.

“Later, that eagle was seen in a short ground altercation with two other subadult eagles,” FOBBV officials said in a social media post. “Cell phone video confirmed that the adult was able to fend off the other eagles by turning over and using its talons, but was unable to fly away.”

After it was rescued, the eagle was taken to a rehabilitation facility that specializes in eagle care. LA County Parks officials shared a video that showed some steps of the rescue.

“The adult eagle that we picked up was sick, very sick,” said a San Dimas Raptor Rescue official. “There were no physical injuries, so we were able to do a quick assessment; look at her wings and stuff like that. There was nothing obvious, but she was very skinny and underweight.”

The bird’s identity was initially unclear at the time of rescue, but FOBBV said that Jackie has not been seen on their 24/7 eagle nest cameras for several days. They said that Jackie, the so-called matriarch of Big Bear’s beloved bald eagle family, is not banded. They also noted that they’re unsure how many other bad eagles could be visiting the area at the time.

Later Sunday, they said that after reviewing photos and videos from the public and the rehabilitation center, the rescued eagle is “likely Jackie.”

“She is in the best place it can be and getting the care she needs,” said FOBBV’s statement.

LA County Parks’ release said that they have been in communication with FOBBV regarding the eagle’s rescue and that she is currently being cared for at a facility in Ojai.

Parks officials asked that the public refrain from contacting San Dimas Raptor Rescue for information or updates, as they would be shared by the appropriate organizations. Because bald eagles are a federally protected species, they require specialized rehabilitation permits that are issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and while the San Dimas Raptor Rescue can provide critical rescue services, bald eagles must be cared for by facilities that have “specific eagle rehabilitation authorization and expertise.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Nicole Comstock

Click here for updates on this story

    ALTADENA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — An Altadena couple who lost their home in the Eaton Fire last year got married on their burned-out property as they continue to rebuild.

Kenny Rotter and Morgan Soloway tied the knot on July 5 on their under-construction lot with 130 people watching, more than a year and a half after their house was one of more than 6,000 lost in the devastating January 2025 blaze.

“When we went to bed, I was like, ‘It’s okay, the fire’s moving east,” Soloway said when recounting the night the fire erupted. “Then we woke up and everything changed.”

They had lived in the home, which they believed would be theirs forever, for just about eight months before the fire. Rotter said it still is theirs.

“And then three days after the fire, I was like, ‘Well, let’s get married on the lot,'” Rotter said. “I didn’t want losing my house to define me and I felt this would be a good way to rewrite positive memories over bad ones.”

The emotional affair came with its own unique flair as they continued building their lives and their new home.

“It was a new way to bring some joy back, and we’re building in some love. Instead of a guest book, we had our fam and friends sign the wood,” Sotoway said.

The couple made sure that their big day also had some comic relief, with Rotter’s groomsmen walking down the aisle to “Burning Down the House” by the Talking Heads.

“We’ve done the crying, I mean, I still cried plenty that day,” Sotoway said. “For me, at least, it let me know that marrying him was a good choice.”

They say that the process of losing their home this way has provided some of the best and worst times of their lives, but they’ve felt the love the entire time.

“The best is the outpouring of love and support. The friends that have reached out, the love that has been there,” Rotter said.

They’re also grateful for all of the new people who have come into their lives, like friends who stepped up to help them, and the architects with Altadena Collective who are rebuilding their home, and also attended the wedding.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Sara Machi

Click here for updates on this story

    DOLTON, Illinois (WBBM) — Thousands have made the pilgrimage to Pope Leo’s childhood home in Dolton, often greeted by the woman who lives next door.

She’s prayed with visitors, offered water and Bibles, even playing gospel music and sermons from her windows.

Now she says she’s facing a fine because of it and says she’s concerned about her religious freedom.

“It was just so humble and I can just imagine that a long time ago he was writing, he must be riding his bike right here with friends,” said Niles resident Manny Lucero.

Any given day, you’ll find people stopping by Pope Leo’s Childhood home, the sounds of prayer and photographs taken on his front steps.

“I’m going to Rome in September, so I hope I’m going to see him. Hopefully. So I can show my picture here visiting his house,” said Sauganash resident Anabel Yuen.

For the past year, neighbor Donna Sagna Davis has welcomed the international attention, wearing a clerical collar like the man who inspires the visitors.

“I feel celebration. I feel we’re praying, we’re praising, and we’re having a good time with the Lord and that’s what it should boil down to, just prayer and having fun,” Davis said.

She’s collected hundreds of prayers from people who stopped by. However, on May 6, she also got a citation for excessive noise from the village of Dolton.

“I feel I’ve been having the feeling of being harassed by city officials of Dolton and the police,” she said.

Davis has played music through a speaker at her window, Gregorian chants off YouTube, or sermons streamed from her church. But she says the city recently tried to fine her $750 to keep her quiet.

“The ordinance that they quoted was 6-6-9, which specifically applies to vehicles. So, right from the onset, we were very confused why she was receiving these tickets, what the reasoning was,” said attorney Adrian Ille.

Davis’ attorney says a hearing officer recently threw out three other police citations related to property upkeep and reclassified this excessive noise violation to a “nuisance.”

“There’s no decibel reading, there is no technology use, you know, how can they actually prove that it was too loud?” Ille said.

Davis is still on the hook for at least $150 in fines, money they think constitutes a violation of her 1st Amendment rights.

“Once it’s religious speech, they have heightened protections. Constitution is very clear. We want to protect religious speech,” Ille said.

Davis says she’ll keep quiet for now.

“I have heard complaints, but not from the people. I’ve heard complaints from village of Dolton. That’s it,” she said.

Though she intends to keep spreading the good word.

CBS Chicago reached out to the Village of Dolton about this citation and Davis’ 1st Amendment rights.

A representative said they stand behind the citation and would try to provide more information, but we have not heard back.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Steven Rosenbaum

Click here for updates on this story

    CARROLLTON, Texas (KTVT) — One of the American servicemembers killed in Jordan last week was from North Texas.

On Monday morning, the Pentagon said in a news release that 19-year-old Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales of Carrollton was killed in action on Friday, during an Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. Another Army soldier, 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, was killed in action on Saturday.

The Pentagon said the soldiers were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the name for the U.S. mission against the Islamic State group.

Gonzales was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command, in Ansbach, Germany, the news release said.

On social media, President Trump said, “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump will attend the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base. It was originally planned for Tuesday but officials now say it will take place at a later date.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reacted to the deaths on Saturday in a social media post, saying: “Godspeed, heroes.” “Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve,” Hegseth said on X.

Following the Iranian attack, U.S. forces launched a new round of airstrikes against Iran at the direction of President Trump, CENTCOM said Saturday evening.

The deaths mark the 15th and 16th among U.S. service members since the war with Iran began on Feb. 28

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement, saying “Texas mourns the loss of Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales of Carrollton, killed in action serving our nation in Jordan. She was just 19 years old. Her courage and sacrifice represent the very best of Texas. Cecilia and I pray for her family, and for the family of 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan of Hawaii. Our nation is forever indebted to them both. God bless our fallen heroes, and God bless Texas.”

Lewisville ISD confirmed that Gonzales graduated from Hebron High School in the spring of 2025.

“She gave her life in that service, and our district is heartbroken by her loss.Not long ago, Isabella walked the halls of Hebron as a student, a classmate and a friend. Her decision to serve after graduation speaks volumes of her character,” Lewisville ISD said in a statement.

“On behalf of the students, staff and families of Lewisville ISD, we extend our deepest sympathy to Isabella’s family, her friends and all who loved her. We are holding them close during this incredibly difficult time.We are humbled by Isabella’s service and by the devotion to duty that guided her. We will honor her life and the example she set, and her memory will always have a home in our community and in our hearts.”

The City of Carrollton said in a statement, “The City has learned of the passing of Carrollton native Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, U.S. Army, who was killed in combat this weekend while serving overseas.Gonzales will be remembered as a national hero. The City of Carrollton community extends its deepest condolences to her family, friends, and everyone who knew or served alongside her.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Raymond Strickland

Click here for updates on this story

    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Two Philadelphia-area rescue groups are answering the call to help by taking in more than 30 animals from Texas, where flooding has devastated communities across the state.

Volunteers from Brandywine Valley SPCA and Animal Adoption Center in New Jersey welcomed the animals Monday after they landed at an airport in Delaware.

Both organizations are helping the dogs and cats find forever homes and allowing shelters in Texas to clear space so they can focus on recovery.

“By moving these animals out, we can give the shelters room to respond and recover. They can respond for their communities to help reunite pets that have been separated from their families. They can help with all of the recovery efforts. They can help local pet families with resources that they may need to take care of their pets while they recover,” Sara Smith, spokesperson for Brandywine Valley SPCA, said.

The animals will undergo an evaluation before they are made available for adoption. Those interested will be able to see the animals at BVSPCA’s campuses and at the Animal Adoption Center in Lindenwold, New Jersey.

“This is about saving these lives, getting these animals a second chance at a happy life and really, we can’t do that without the community support,” Smith said.

To help encourage adoptions, Smith says BVSPCA, the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area and Animal Adoption Center are offering “pick your price” adoption fees for all large dogs and adult cats all week long from July 21-26.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Morgan Rynor, Steven Yablonski

Click here for updates on this story

    MIAMI (WFOR) — A Miami tugboat captain charged in a collision in Biscayne Bay in July 2025 that killed three girls near Miami Beach is expected to change his plea in court on Tuesday.

Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of seaman’s manslaughter, but his attorney told CBS News Miami months ago that the plan has been to take responsibility and spare the families from having to go through a trial.

Prosecutors said Insua had been operating a tugboat pushing a debris-filled barge when it struck a sailboat in Biscayne Bay in July 2025.

The sailboat was carrying five children and a camp counselor when it was struck, killing three of them.

The victims were identified as 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich, 13-year-old Erin Ko Han and 10-year-old Arielle “Ari” Buchman.Federal prosecutors said that Insua didn’t see their stalled sailboat because he had obstructed visibility and didn’t have a lookout.

“The client is deeply saddened by the tragic boating accident that cost the lives of three small children,” Attorney Walter A. Reynoso said when he spoke with CBS News Miami in April. “He sends his sincere condolences to the families and their loved ones. We intend to accept responsibility for his conduct.”

The collision happened around 11:15 a.m. on Monday, July 28, 2025, between Hibiscus Island and Monument Island.

According to a Department of Justice press release, the tugboat’s forward view was blocked by a deckhouse and crane, and no one aboard was assigned to watch for hazards, a basic maritime safety requirement.

At the same time, a children’s sailing camp was underway nearby when a sailboat carrying one counselor and five children lost wind and stalled directly in the path of the approaching tug and barge and was struck.

Yankelevich, Han and Buchman died.

The counselor and two children survived after being dragged under the barge, but the three children were trapped in the wreckage and drowned.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.