Boater Admits To Drinking Beer And Taking Pills Before Deadly Crash

Boat collision killed the man's neighbor on Otter Tail Lake

OTTER TAIL LAKE, Minn. — A Roseville, Minnesota man is now facing three felony charges following a deadly boat collision that killed a neighbor on Otter Tail Lake.

72-year-old Charles Gramith told deputies that he drank three beers and also took medication prior to the collision that killed 52-year-old Neil Baker of Elysian, Minnesota.

Baker and his wife were securing their boat on the lake northeast of Fergus Falls on Saturday afternoon when the crash took place.

Both were thrown into the lake.

Neil died instantly from head, neck and shoulder injuries.

Gramith said that he wasn’t sure what had happened.

Court documents say he placed his boat onto the lift and went into his house to get a drink of water after the crash.