Charges withdrawn in boating fatality

Criminal charges were dropped this week against a fisherman accused of causing the death of a swimmer in Caye Caulker. Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord freed Walter August, after the Director of Public Prosecutions submitted that there was insufficient evidence to support the manslaughter charge against him. That charge arose from an incident in November of 2004, when U.S. National Raymond Link and his girlfriend were in an area known as “The Split.” Link was snorkelling when August passed through the split in his motorboat “Quiditch.” Someone on the boat suddenly observed blood in the water and when August stopped, he discovered the injured man. August rendered assistance, but to no avail. Link received deep cuts to his head and chest, and one of his arms was almost severed.