Man to go to prison in 2022 for boating accident on Fox River in Oshkosh

OSHKOSH (WLUK) — Jason Lindemann was sentenced Thursday in a boating accident on the Fox River in Oshkosh that injured more than a dozen people.

Judge Michael Gibbs sentenced Lindemann, 54, to five months in prison, followed by three years' probation. He was also ordered to perform 150 hours of community service.

In June, a jury found Lindemann guilty of two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment, 11 counts of failure to render aid after a boating accident and one count of negligent operation of a boat. He was acquitted of one count of failure to render aid after a boating accident.

According to the criminal complaint, Lindemann was traveling on the Fox River with his motorboat when it collided with the paddle steamer On the Loos shortly before 10 p.m. on July 9, 2022.

The paddle steamer boat with 44 people on board suffered considerable damage. Despite pleas from the passengers of the damaged boat and nearby witnesses, Lindemann allegedly did not stop to provide assistance.

After dropping injured passengers off his boat nearby, Lindemann drove his boat onto Lake Winnebago, where he and the boat remained until the next morning. Police found Lindemann's boat abandoned in a nearby marina the next day.

The owner of On the Loos told police, “He had a clear view of the colliding boat as it approached his boat. (The victim) stated he saw the front of the colliding boat rise as it gained speed and headed directly toward On the Loos. (The victim) stated he was unable to take evasive action but honked his horn. The colliding boat turned to the right and collided with the paddle steamer in the lower deck area,” the complaint states.

One victim told police that he “heard the operator of the colliding boat screaming, 'I'm so (expletive), I'm so (expletive),' until the boat sped away with its lights off,” the complaint states.

When the police discovered Lindemann's boat, they apparently found dried blood in it and a bird that had been on the “On The Loos” as decoration.

A witness on Lindemann's boat said Lindemann had been drinking beer on the boat. After the accident, Lindemann ignored requests for help for the other boats, she said.

The victims described various injuries, including back pain, cuts, bruises, and leg and neck injuries.

There is also a civil lawsuit against Lindemann filed by the owners of On the Loos.