Less than a year after Paul Gallagher Jr fatally lost his life on the beaches of the Atlantis Resort, a coroner’s court jury ruled last Thursday that his death was an accidental one.
Coroner William Campbell so directed the seven member panel after the evidence of the case was reviewed.
Paul Gallagher Jr died as a result of injuries he sustained while involved in a collision on the beach with a speedboat on August 15, 2002.
Andrea Gallagher the mother of the young toddler testified in the inquest that she and her husband were at the beach accompanied by Paul Jr., one-year-old Andrew and five-year-old Heather.
She told the court that Paul Jr. was in a chair on the left side of her on the beach, when she heard a loud blast from a whistle.
Mrs. Gallagher said she turned towards the ocean and saw a speedboat approaching her, headed in the direction of the beach.
The witness testified that the boat was coming at a fast rate of speed and within seconds smashed into her beach chair causing severe bruises to her legs.
The boat continued up the beach, she said, knocking Andrew’s stroller, causing it to roll up the beach. “I could hear Paul Jr. crying,” she told the court.
As she ran towards the boat to tend to her child, she noticed the boat operator passed out on the sand. Her child in the meantime had serious injuries, she said.
The 19-foot 200 horse power speedboat which was being operated by James Bain was said have gone more than 20 feet up the beach.
Mr. Bain said on the day in question, he was the operator of the banana boat with about 10 persons onboard, when it overturned and some persons fell into the water. He said he stopped the speedboat, put it in neutral and tried to assist the persons who had fallen into the water.
While providing assistance to the persons in the water, the boat seemed to be drifting towards one of the persons, so he shifted it in forward. A rope, which was in, the boat caused him to trip and the boat went full speed up the beach.
When he noticed that a child had been struck from the boat he said he held his head, said, “Oh Lord” and passed out.
At the time of the incident the child was transported to Doctor’s Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on August 10, 2002.
The cause of death was listed by the pathologist as blunt force trauma to the head, causing a fractured skull, hemorrhaging and lacerations of the brain.
By Jimenita Swain, The Nassau Guardian
