A tragic boating accident occurred in Harrison Township, Michigan, resulting in the deaths of three individuals after two vessels collided near MacRay Harbor on the evening of October 7. The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) confirmed that a report was received around 10:48 PM regarding a capsized boat in the area.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/capsized-boat-michigan-100826-554d4017ab0b438f803f056c8d67d81b.jpg)
The boat involved was identified as a 1981 23-foot Formula Thunderbird. Authorities revealed that while three passengers lost their lives, a fourth individual managed to swim to safety. This survivor, a 58-year-old woman, returned to shore to seek help and was subsequently taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Township Fire Chief David Bostater expressed relief that the woman was able to survive the ordeal. He described the circumstances as miraculous, noting that her journey back to shore took between one to one-and-a-half hours. The situation was particularly dire, considering she was in the water for an extended period before reaching safety.
Following the report of the capsized vessel, members of the MCSO’s marine division and underwater search and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene to conduct a search operation for the missing boaters. Tragically, those efforts resulted in the recovery of the three individuals’ bodies the following morning, around 5 AM. They were pronounced dead at the site of the incident.
The victims have been identified as Craig Miller, aged 52, from Macomb Township; Heidi Baldwin, aged 56, from St. Clair Shores; and Gerald Grzadzinski, aged 64, from Chesterfield Township. The boating community is mourning the loss of these individuals, and the sheriff’s office has extended its condolences to their families and loved ones.
The other vessel involved in the collision was a 1991 28-foot Sea Ray Sundancer, operated by a 40-year-old man from Roseville. He is currently cooperating with investigators as they work to establish the details surrounding the incident. Among the occupants of the Sea Ray were a 36-year-old woman also from Roseville, another adult female, and a child.
Authorities are actively compiling evidence and inspecting both vessels to gain a clearer understanding of how the collision occurred. The ongoing investigation is seeking answers for the victims’ families and the broader community impacted by this unfortunate event.
This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with boating, especially during nighttime hours. As investigations continue, the MCSO urges all boaters to adhere strictly to safety protocols and navigational rules to ensure the safety of all individuals on the water.