Bluffton Couple Identified as Victims in Fatal Hilton Head Boat Crash
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC — Authorities have identified a Bluffton couple as the victims of a fatal boating accident that occurred Friday night on Skull Creek, a waterway near Hilton Head Island.
Patsy Montgomery, 73, and James Montgomery, 76, were both pronounced dead at the scene after their boat crashed in the waters between Pinckney Island and northwest Hilton Head.
Coroner awaiting autopsy results
According to the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office, the couple’s causes of death will be determined through autopsies scheduled for this week. Chief Deputy Coroner Shane Bowers confirmed their identities and said his office is working with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) to determine who was operating the boat at the time of the crash.
“I’m at a loss for words over the tragic boat accident last night,” said Hilton Head Island Mayor Alan Perry in a public statement on Saturday. “My heart and prayers are with the families of the deceased and those who are injured.”
Others on board also injured
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office reported that two additional passengers were on board the vessel during the crash. After the incident, the survivors were brought to the dock at Skull Creek Boathouse and later transported to Hilton Head Medical Center for treatment.
No updates on their conditions were released, and their identities have not been made public as of Monday.
The SCDNR is currently leading the investigation and will provide further findings as they become available, according to reporting from the Island Packet.
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