OGDEN — The three men charged in last summer’s Pineview boating fatality were questioned by law enforcement the day of the death but made no mention that the boat they were in hit anyone, according to court documents.
The disclosure is contained in probable cause affidavits filed with charging documents this week in the Aug. 21 death of Esther Fujimoto.
Colton Raines, Skyler Shepherd and Robert Cole Boyer were arrested Friday and have since been formally charged in 2nd District Court.
Raines and Shepherd, both 22, are charged with reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident and obstruction of justice.
Boyer, 29, is charged only with obstruction of justice.
All are misdemeanors.
The three are scheduled for arraignment Wednesday before 2nd District Judge Ernie Jones.
“Colton, Cole and Skyler were detained at Pineview,” one affidavit reads. “They were questioned by Fish and Game and did not advise him they knew of the accident.”
Before the meeting with the ranger at the boat ramp, according to the affidavits, witnesses reported seeing the three men taking the boat out of the water and wiping it down as they loaded it onto a trailer.
The affidavits for Raines and Shepherd both say Raines was driving the boat when it hit Fujimoto.
“Through witness observation it was seen that the boat then turned around and went back to Fujimoto and asked if she was ok, then left Fujimoto lying in the water and drove away,” reads Shepherd’s affidavit.
Interviewed later, it said, Shepherd confirmed to the Weber County Sheriff’s Office “that he, Colton and Cole were in the boat and that they did go back and talk with Fujimoto.”
“Skyler reported that Colton Raines was driving the boat when the accident occurred and then he (Shepherd) took over driving when they talked to Fujimoto.”
All three men have been sued for wrongful death by Fujimoto’s sister, who was also swimming in the reservoir that day.
That case is pending without date.
Lawyers for the trio have filed responses, saying Fujimoto was negligent for swimming in an area near Spring Creek Cove without marking off the area to warn boaters.
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