Oregon Man Dies After Bay Collision Between Motorboat, Golden Gate Ferry

By Bay City News Service

One of two people injured when a Golden Gate Ferry and a 22-foot motorboat collided in the San Francisco Bay on Saturday has died, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said this morning.

The victim was identified as 68-year-old Harry Holzhauer, of Tigard, Ore., Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Mark Leahey said.

The crash happened at about 4 p.m. in Raccoon Strait, near Tiburon. The Coast Guard is still investigating the circumstances of the crash and who was at fault, Leahey said.

Golden Gate Transit spokeswoman Mary Currie said the motorboat was traveling at a high speed when it collided with the MS San Francisco, which was about 10 minutes into its 30-minute trip from Sausalito to the Ferry Building in San Francisco.

Holzhauer and another man on the motorboat were injured, but no one on the ferry was hurt, according to the Coast Guard. Holzhauer died of his injuries at Marin General Hospital at 5:22 p.m., according to the Marin Sheriff's Lt. Keith Boyd of the Coroner's Division of the Marin County Sheriff's Office. The Coroner has scheduled a forensic exam to determine the exact cause of Holzhauer for Tuesday, Boyd said.

Leahey did not have an update this morning on the condition of the second man who was injured.

The five crew members aboard the ferry will be drug tested and placed on administrative leave during the investigation, as is protocol with such incidents, Currie said.

The Coast Guard is requesting anyone who has information about that could aid the investigation (pictures, video, and witness statements) please email sectorsf.investigations@uscg.mil.

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