MOUNT PLEASANT, SC — A 21-year-old man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter following a fatal boat crash that resulted in the death of a Citadel cadet on April 25.
Edward Marion Tavel III was charged by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on June 2 and was released on personal recognizance bail the same day. His initial court hearing is scheduled for the end of July.
DNR officials reported that Tavel's boat, carrying seven people despite a capacity of four, crashed into a floating dock while traveling at 25 to 30 mph. Nineteen-year-old Evan Andrew Greenleigh, seated at the front, sustained fatal blunt-force injuries. Emergency services arrived shortly before 11:30 p.m. to confirm Greenleigh's death.
Witnesses indicated multiple individuals aboard the vessel had been drinking prior to the incident, which occurred near Shem Creek. Although Tavel reportedly consumed alcohol, a hospital blood test returned negative results. The investigation remains ongoing, and it is unclear whether additional charges will be filed.
Authorities expressed condolences to Greenleigh's family. He was a mechanical engineering major at The Citadel, originally from Bethesda, MD.