KEVIN O'LEARY BOAT TRAGEDY: Uxbridge mom second fatality in mystery crash
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A 48-year-old Uxbridge mother of three is the second person to die in a collision with Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary’s boat in Muskoka.
Suzana Brito died Monday in hospital.
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KEVIN O'LEARY BOAT TRAGEDY: Uxbridge mom second fatality in mystery crash Back to video
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Gary Poltash, 64, of Florida was killed instantly in the horrific late-night crash Saturday on Lake Joseph, near Emerald Island.
But the OPP have been tight-lipped with details.
The two dead victims were on a 13-person craft returning to a nearby cottage during a pleasure cruise when it was allegedly struck by O’Leary’s boat.
The crash happened around 11:30 p.m.
The man at the bow of the larger boat was struck in the head and killed instantly, according to American celebrity news website TMZ.
Two others on the smaller vessel were treated in hospital and released.
The Uxbridge mom was still breathing and was kept alive, sources told The Toronto Sun, so her organs could be harvested.
O’Leary released a statement to TMZ admitting his involvement. He claimed he wasn’t driving.
“Late Saturday night I was a passenger in a boat that had a tragic collision with another craft that had no navigation lights on and then fled the scene of the accident. I am fully cooperating with authorities,” he said in a carefully-crafted statement.
“Out of respect for the families who have lost loved ones and to fully support the ongoing investigation, I feel it is inappropriate to make further comments at this time. My thoughts are with all the families affected.”
A source close to the owner of the larger boat that was struck told TMZ O’Leary’s boat was involved in the accident and that there was enough light to identify O’Leary and his wife. Linda O’Leary, who had posted photos from Lake Joseph this month, changed her Instagram settings to private on Wednesday.
An O’Leary representative told TMZ that his wife was driving the boat at the time of the accident and passed a drug and alcohol test, the flack said.
O’Leary wouldn’t comment when contacted by the Sun late Tuesday night.
“I can’t speak on it,” O’Leary said. “Sorry, I don’t think there’s been any release of that information, so I have no comment. Sorry. Thanks.”
OPP Det.-Insp. Martin Graham told MyMuskokaNow.com Monday that it was too early to say whether alcohol played a role in the accident.
“Obviously, bearing in mind one person has lost their life … it requires a complete investigation to determine the facts surrounding how this came about,” Graham said.
O’Leary is well-known as a former bombastic “Dragon” on CBC’s Dragons’ Den and previously co-hosted The Lang and O’Leary Exchange.
He is also a regular guest on business news shows, most recently appearing on CNBC Tuesday.
The OPP couldn’t be immediately reached for comment Tuesday night.
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