Second man, 41, charged over Swan Reach boat crash that killed Chad Gill
Officers have charged a second man over a boat crash that killed Chad Gill on the Murray River last year – as police warn further arrests are “highly likely”.
Police & Courts
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A second man has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice over a boat crash on the Murray River that killed Chad Gill last year.
Seven people were camping on the banks of the river at Swan Reach on February 22, 2019 before deciding to go for a “night-time cruise” in two dinghies.
The two boats collided just before 10pm, killing Mr Gill, 37, of Gawler South, and permanently injuring Glen Justice.
On Wednesday, officers arrested a man, 41, of Lyndoch, who is now the second person charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, after Mr Gill’s cousin Alex Gill.
The maximum penalty is five years’ imprisonment.
Following Alex Gill’s arrest last year, Riverland detectives established “Operation Veritas” to further investigate the crash.
Police initially believed, after talking to witnesses, that only one boat had been involved in the accident.
But as the investigation continued it became clear two boats had collided on the river.
Alex Gill is accused of making a triple-zero call where he pretended to be someone else and later telling police that only one boat had been involved.
He was also charged with causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving – but those charges were officially dropped in June.
Superintendent James Blandford said he could not reveal the details of the allegations against the second arrested man, as he is yet to appear in court.
Supt Blandford also said further arrests are “highly likely” and made a desperate appeal to anyone who may have information on what led to the collision.
“Somebody knows exactly what happened on the night of that crash, not withstanding the men involved,” he said.
“Surely it’s time to respect the memory of Chad Gill and the permanent injuries suffered by Glen Justice to help determine an accurate account of what actually happened.
“The family of those two men are stuck with an unresolved, incomplete and uncertain fact about what happened and why their lives have been so devastatingly changed.”
Officers will enlist the help of scientific experts, such as forensic engineers and geospatial location experts to recreate the crash.
Supt Blandford said he was “quite sure” there are people not involved in the crash who have information.
“There are people who may well have seen the boats and the group of men during the day around the campsite … or around the Swan Reach, Murray River area.”
Investigators are looking for any information witnesses may have – but are specifically interested in the group of seven’s “behaviour and decorum” or “the feeling people got about them” in the lead-up to the fatal collision.
Alex Gill is due to face court again this month, while the 41-year-old – who police say is not another family member – was bailed to appear in the Waikerie Magistrates Court next month.
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