Four Young Adults ID'd As Victims In Dinner Key Boat Crash
MIAMI (CBSMiami) —The four victims from the boating accident off of Dinner Key on the Fourth of July have been identified.
Authorities said 23-year-old Andrew Garcia and 20-year-old Victoria Dempsey were thrown overboard and died after the boat they were riding in crashed into another vessel.
Twenty-four-year-old Kelsie Karpiak was also on the boat and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Karpiak's mother posted a message on Facebook thanking everyone for love and prayers. She said: "My daughter is with Jesus I cannot get through this without your prayers so please keep us in your prayers, I love you all."
Her twin brother described her as always happy and always full of joy. He told CBS4's Maggie Newland she always put a smile on everyone's face.
Twenty-three-year-old Jason Soleimani of Old Westbury, New York, was in a second vessel and died immediately.
Eight other people were injured and one remains in critical condition.
Investigators say the crash occurred just as fireworks were concluding in the waters off Miami's Dinner Key.
Rescuers struggled to find victims in the dark waters and determine how many people were hurt.
Officials said with so many people hurt, authorities said it could take a while to piece together exactly what caused the crash.
They're still trying to determine whether alcohol speed or inattention played a role in the accident.
Watch Maggie Newland's report, click here.
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