Alabama Rescue Captain Indicted In LODD Drowning of Subordinate
An Alabama rescue squad captain has been charged criminally with negligent homicide over the death of a squad member last April during a water rescue.
Michael Ervin Bettis, 49, has been indicted on one count of negligent homicide by Etowah County Grand Jury. The charge arises out of the April 25, 2015 death of Vicky Houston Ryan, 46. Both Bettis and Ryan were members of the Etowah County Rescue Squad.
Ryan was killed when the rescue boat she was in capsized while searching for a missing kayaker. The boat reportedly got too close to a lowhead dam on Big Wells Creek in Gadsden, as did another rescue boat. A total of nine rescuers ended up in the water resulting in Ryan’s death and injuries to three others.
The Alabama Bureau of Investigation investigated Ryan’s death and led to the charge against Bettis. It is unclear what role Bettis played in the incident, but he was charged under Alabama Code Section 13A-6-4, Criminally Negligent Homicide. § 13A-6-4 reads as follows:
(a) A person commits the crime of criminally negligent homicide if he causes the death of another person by criminal negligence.
(b) The jury may consider statutes and ordinances regulating the actor’s conduct in determining whether he is culpably negligent under subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Criminally negligent homicide is a Class A misdemeanor, except in cases in which said criminally negligent homicide is caused by the driver of a motor vehicle who is driving in violation of the provisions of Section 32-5A-191; in such cases criminally negligent homicide is a Class C felony.
If he was not properly supervising his crew and they did something he didn’t see while giving a media release, the word is:
Accountability”‘for subsequently happened.
Chief, should that be “a total of NINE rescuers….”?
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
Got it… TY and Merry Christmas!!!!
My condolences to all involved. This could very well be a “crime of omission” rather than a “crime of commission.” It seems as if it would more appropriately be filed as a civil case rather than a criminal case but I have only the information provided in this article, so I am not even close to qualified to pass any judgement on this. The part that is so frustrating is the fact that year after year, time after time, we watch videos of people in boats getting too close to these lowhead dams and capsizing, getting caught in the continuous recirculation that takes place at the base of these “drowning machines.” They are so dangerous the Military District of Washington issued orders prohibiting any servicemember from navigating anywhere near the lowhead dam(s) at Great Falls on the Potomac. There are numerous videos referencing lowhead dams and their lethal properties. Try this site to help as a training tool. Stay away, folks! Train your responders. The lowhead dams truly are “drowning machines.” Pain and respect for those dealing with the aftermath.