IA Businessman Kelly Wise Officially Charged Over Fatal June MO Boat Crash

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO. — Prominent Iowa businessman, Kelly Wise, of Atlantic, Iowa, has officially been charged with boating while intoxicated after a fatal boat crash in June on the Lake of the Ozarks.

Troopers say Wise, 62, had been driving his boat on the lake just before 11:00 p.m. on June 29. Two boats had been involved in a collision near Isla Del Sol near the three mile mark of the lake.

Jason Russell, 39, of Eldon, Iowa, was thrown from the other boat. His body was recovered in 80 feet of water by divers. Russell was an accomplished member of the Missouri racing community, winning more than 200 championship races.

According to court documents, troopers were called to Lake Regional Hospital to obtain detailed crash information. While helping Wise out of the ambulance, troopers say his eyes were “extremely bloodshot and glassy,” and said Wise’s breath smelled strongly of alcohol.

Troopers say when asked about the crash, Wise said he wasn’t really hurt, and said “they came out of nowhere. My wife alerted me to them at the last minute and I swerved to the right as hard as I could,” reports KY3.

According to court documents, troopers performed several field sobriety tests, and a preliminary breath test showed Wise had a blood alcohol content of .184 percent.

Wise told troopers he was travelling at 25 miles per hour on the water when the other boat, driven by 37-year-old Bradley Siebeneck of Holts Summit, Missouri, crashed into the port side of Wise’s boat.

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Geo quick facts: Lake of the Ozarks is a big, scenic reservoir with many shore attractions, including camping, fishing & underground caverns.