A convicted felon is behind bars after a fatal boating crash on Buena Vista lake over the weekend. Justin Ennis, 23, was arrested on suspicion of boating under the influence and manslaughter.
Jose Guerrero, a witness says, "Nobody was driving the boat. The boat was going by itself. " Guerrero says Sal Rodriguez who told the kids in his boat to duck when he saw a boat coming towards them and it did not look like it was going to stop.
It was Rodriguez who was killed on Saturday afternoon. He was spending a day on the lake with family and friends. David Garcia, a cousin in law of Rodriguez says, "They were done boating.
They were just about to go on the dock so they could leave and come back and then out of nowhere some guy comes and hit them."
Witnesses say two men and two women were in the boat that hit Rodriguez. Park rangers say they were drinking and witnesses say they were not paying attention when the accident happened and then reportedly tried to get away.
Faustino Vieyre, a witness says, "I heard somebody yelling don't let him go out, don't let him go out, because he killed my friend."
Rodriguez had recently purchased a new boat. His family says he took it out every chance he got. Rodriguez and his wife had recently learned they were expecting a baby after suffering five miscarrages. His wife Mia is five months along.
Rangers say 23-year-old Justin Ennis was the one driving the boat that hit Rodriguez. He has been arrested on suspicion of boating under the influence, manslaughter, and violating his parole.
This is not the first time he has been in trouble with the law. Last year, Ennis plead no contest in the death of a Bakersfield woman and was sentenced to two years in prison. Investigators say Ennis' friend had an argument with the victim, and then the two men bound her with rope and duct tape and left her in a bedroom, where she suffocated. Ennis served about 400 days behind bars and was let out early for good behavior.
Garcia says, "It just sucks that you don't think it happens to you. It's just a lesson that you shouldn't drink and operate a vehicle. Just hope it doesn't happen to anyone else and he gets what he deserves."
Ennis is scheduled to be in court on Tuesday morning.
