Operator Of Kelsey Starling's Boat Reaches Plea Agreement

WINSTON COUNTY, AL — The man operating the boat from which Birmingham schoolteacher Kelsey Starling was ejected has made a plea arrangement with law enforcement. Starling died in the crash July 4 and her body has still not been recovered.

William Fite was sentenced to 90 days in jail and must pay a $2,100 fine for boating under the influence. Fite's sentence was suspended to two years unsupervised probation. He also agreed to pay court costs, according to a report by ABC 33/40.

Nick Bowling Suggs, 50, and Jodi Wallace Suggs, 50 were both arrested last week after they were indicted by a Winston County grand jury on negligent homicide charges. They were both on the pontoon boat that collided with the boat carrying Starling.

The attorney for the Suggs, Jason Knight, said his clients deny being at fault.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched in July to assist in the search efforts for Starling's body. Starling was a teacher at Birmingham's Tuggle Elementary School.

Note: Patch is a GoFundMe promotional partner.