HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The FWC and the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office announced charges Monday for the 40-year-old man accused of a boating crash in the Alafia River that killed a 12-year-old girl on a raft.
Riverview resident Andrew Miltner was arrested Dec. 8. Officials said he was boating under the influence on May 17 when he crashed into Jasina Campbell and her friend on a tube in the Alafia River.
Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren announced Miltner has been charged with BUI manslaughter and vessel homicide.
“This is every parents’ worst nightmare. It’s our job to protect the community, and we intend to make sure this person can’t do this again,” Warren said. “Everyone who’s planning to spend time on the water around the holidays needs to hear this: Boating while intoxicated and recklessly putting lives in danger won’t be tolerated in our community.”
Officials said around 7 p.m. on May 17, a boat was traveling west in the Alafia River with about six kids and three adults onboard. The boat was also towing two girls on a tube.
Police said Miltner’s boat struck the two girls, resulting in one of them disappearing under the water, not able to be located by anyone on the boat.
The body of the child, later identified as 12-year-old Jasina Campbell, was later recovered by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office dive team.
The other girl on the tube was transported to Tampa General Hospital with minor injuries
After a months-long investigation, the FWC determined that Miltner’s consumption of alcohol and accelerated speed in an idle speed zone, caused the death of Campbell.
“Tragedies like this are avoidable by simply not operating a watercraft while impaired. Jasina Campbell should be celebrating the holidays with her family and, sadly, she is not because of a poor decision Mr. Miltner made,” said Maj. Roger Young, FWC Regional Commander. “If you boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you are endangering your life and the lives of others, and you will be arrested.”
Jasina’s grandmother spoke at Monday’s press conference on the family’s behalf.
“Bad choices need to result in consequences for those choices, and to bring justice for Jasina. We know it won’t bring her back,” said Jasina’s grandmother, Donna Campbell. “She had many things to do still. She had Friends to make, people to meet, boyfriends, marriage and children ahead of her.”
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