SAN DIEGO, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- A U.S. Coast Guard officer pleaded guilty to dereliction of duty in the death of a boy on a boat in San Diego and received a reprimand as punishment.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Brittany Rasmussen, 26, pleaded guilty in a court-martial for failing to tell the pilot of a Coast Guard patrol boat that her view of the water was blocked, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday.
Rasmussen's plea deal obligates her to testify against the other crew members, the newspaper said.
Rasmussen's 36-foot Coast Guard vessel was speeding to help a grounded boater in San Diego Bay when it hit the DeWeese family boat during the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights Dec. 20, 2009, killing Anthony DeWeese and injuring others on the boat.
"It's virtually a slap on the wrist for the death of an 8-year-old boy," the family's lawyer said.
The boat's pilot, Petty Officer 3rd Class Paul Ramos, 21, faces a general court-martial in March on charges of involuntary manslaughter, negligent homicide and aggravated assault. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Ian Howell faces charges of negligent homicide, assault, negligence with a boat and dereliction of duty in a court martial case with a maximum one-year sentence.
A fourth crewman was found not responsible in the incident.
