MCSO says boat alterations created electricity in Lake Pleasant drownings

PHOENIX – An improper modification in the victims’ boat created electricity that contributed to two drowning deaths at Lake Pleasant over the weekend, authorities said Wednesday.

A Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office investigation found alterations in the boat’s electrical connection system that bypassed safety features and rendered it incompatible with the Scorpion Bay Marina’s receptacle.

“This resulted in electricity being discharged into the water around the swim platform, which is where the victims entered the water,” MCSO said in a press release.

The electricity contributed to the deaths of brothers Timothy Miller, 53, and Michael Miller, 50, on Sunday night, according to the release.

MCSO said investigators ruled out any issues with the marina before zeroing on the victims’ boat as the source of the electricity.

The Scorpion Bay Marina’s electrical system is safe to use, MCSO said, and no other boats or slips were affected.

No information about how or when the boat’s modifications were made was released.

The investigation is ongoing.

An MCSO spokesman said Monday that, according to witness statements, the brothers were on the docked boat with their wives.

Timothy Miller reportedly entered the water near the boat and began experiencing what witnesses described as electrical shock.

Michael Miller then entered the water to help and began experiencing the same symptoms.

One of the wives also followed Michael into the water and was likewise affected by what she later described as an electrical current. She was expected to recover from her injuries.

Boaters shouldn’t do their own electrical work or hire an electrician unfamiliar with American Boat and Yacht Council standards, authorities said.

Swimmers are advised to stay at least 100 yards away from any freshwater marina.

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