Holiday weekend claims 3
Second PWC accident vicitm dies in hospital

A 14-year-old girl has died, the result of a collision between a boat and a personal watercraft Saturday.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials confirmed the girl died at 1:30 a.m. Sunday at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, from injuries resulting from the crash.

Sherrie Moore, who described herself as the victim’s grandmother, said in an email to Today’s News-Herald the victim was Tiffany Breslin, of Murrieta, Calif.

It’s the third death on the Colorado River and Lake Havasu during the July Fourth holiday weekend.

Breslin died in the same accident on the river near the Needles Bridge that claimed the life of a 19-year-old woman Saturday. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her identity has not yet been released.

Cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The first death occurred Friday afternoon, when transient Jimmy Dale Maguglin, 48, was found floating face down in the Bridgewater Channel, off the shore near the Lions Dog Park.

Rescuers Dennis Harnage and Ron Adkins pulled Maguglin from the water and performed mouth-to-mouth until the Lake Havasu City Police Boat Patrol arrived and started cardio pulmonary resuscitation.

Harnage and Adkins were back in the Channel Sunday, looking out over the spot where Maguglin died.

“Jim was a good man. If you were hungry, he’d offer to feed you. He was always offering to help,” Harnage said. “He was one of my best friends and I really miss him.”

Adkins said Maguglin had recently suffered a series of strokes and had lost full use of his left arm.

“He told me he wanted to die, he said he was done,” Adkins said through tears. “We tried to stop him. He was our main dude.”

Lake Havasu City Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Maguglin’s death. Alcohol is believed to be a factor.

Two other incidents over the weekend had less lethal outcomes. On Saturday, Lake Havasu City Fire Department personnel were called out to Beachcomber RV Park when a boat just offshore exploded.

According to Lake Havasu City Police, the operator started the boat and saw a flash. The unidentified male victim was transported to Havasu Regional Medical Center with minor burn injuries. The boat was completely destroyed.

The other incident Saturday is being described as a “near-drowning” by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials. Brandon Mueller, 23, of Washington state, was diving from a large rock in Copper Canyon Saturday when he disappeared under water.

“After several minutes of searching, a civilian scuba diver located Brandon Mueller in nearly 30 feet of water. Mueller was administered CPR by off-duty fire department personnel and an off-duty registered nurse until deputies and Lake Havasu City Fire Paramedics could arrive,” reads the report.

Mueller was transported to Havasu Regional Medical Center in critical condition and later flown to Sunrise Medical Center.

Investigation into the incident continues. Sheriff’s officials say it is unknown if alcohol is factor.

You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.