Boat captain charged in Florida parasailing accident that killed Schaumburg woman

CHICAGO (CBS) — A boat captain now stands charged in connection with the death earlier this year of a Schaumburg woman who died in a parasailing accident in South Florida.

Daniel Gavin Couch, 49, was booked into the Monroe County, Florida Jail on one count of manslaughter and was being held Thursday on $100,000 bond, the sheriff’s office confirmed to CBS Miami News.

Supraja Alaparthi, her son, and her nephew were in flight off Marathon, Florida when a strong gust of wind “pegged” their parasail – meaning the wind took over control of the parasail from the boat below.

This made for a situation so dangerous that the captain made the difficult choice to cut the line tethered to the victims. They were dropped from an unknown height and dragged through the water by the floating parasail until it finally hit the old Seven Mile Bridge, the report said.

Alaparthi, 33, died in the accident. Her son Sriakshith Alaparthi, 10, and nephew Vishant Sadda, 9, were both injured.

Alaparthi’s son Sriakshith’s injuries were described as minor. Nephew Vishant was taken to an area hospital for additional treatment.

Attorneys hired by family of the victims have filed a lawsuit in the wake of the crash. 

TONIGHT ON THE CBS 2 NEWS AT 10: Jermont Terry has more on the story.