SoCal Man Accused Of Throwing Son Off Cruise Boat

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- A Southern California man was arrested after authorities say he threw his crying 7-year-old son off a sightseeing cruise boat during an argument that shocked passengers on the boat.

Sloan Briles, 35, was arrested Sunday for investigation of child endangerment and resisting arrest, Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino said.

Amormino said Briles, his girlfriend and two sons from a previous marriage went on an afternoon cruise around Newport Harbor on a boat carrying 85 people. Briles argued with the girlfriend and then with his 7-year-old son before throwing the boy over, said Amormino, adding that the child was not an expert swimmer.

"The father hit him several times and then threatened to throw him overboard if he didn't stop crying," Amormino said. "The crowd on the boat became very angry at the father for hitting the kid and extremely angry when he threw him overboard."

The boy was rescued by another boater, and the father also jumped in to save him. The boy and his brother were returned to their mother's care.

Briles was released Monday. He couldn't be immediately reached at a number listed for him in Irvine.

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