BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ A Boise man has pleaded guilty to two
misdemeanors after the boat he was piloting struck rocks in Payette
Lake one night last summer, leading to the deaths of two of his
passengers.

Ronald D. Stevens had been charged with two counts of
involuntary manslaughter in the Aug. 13 deaths of his girlfriend,
61-year-old Linda Catlin, and her 41-year-old son, Shane.

The Idaho Statesman reports that Stevens pleaded guilty Tuesday
to two counts of grossly negligent operation of a vessel. Valley
County prosecutor Matthew Williams says Stevens is scheduled to be
sentenced on Aug. 31.

Stevens was at the helm of a 23-foot ski boat carrying eight
adults and four children when the craft hit rocks, capsized and
sank at about 10:30 p.m. Linda Catlin died of hypothermia and Shane
Catlin drowned.
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Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com


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