Adam Benson and Savannah Denton
36 mins ago
HORRY COUNTY, SC (WBTW) — The half-million dollars awarded to Jacob Williams’ family in May is worthless compared to the suffering and grief they must endure nearly two years after he fell from a flatboat and died in the Intracoastal Waterway.
But family attorney Kenneth Berger told News13 it was the first painful step toward accountability — and the most valuable thing they could ask for.
“This family, in their desperation, did not want Jacob’s life to be lost in vain,” Berger said. “No more Williams families need to grieve over a completely preventable tragedy.”
Williams died after being thrown from a vessel that struck an Intracoastal Waterway dock near Burcale Road on the night of June 18, 2023. According to police, the driver, Matthew Brown, was intoxicated at the time.
Williams’ family sued Brown in August for negligence and wrongful death. Their complaint said Brown acted “negligently, willfully, recklessly and with gross negligence” by operating a boat that was too fast for the conditions and failing to keep a proper lookout.
According to online jail records, Brown was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on July 5 after the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources charged him with illegal driving under the influence and obstruction of justice.
On May 14, the parties agreed to $505,000.
Berger said state law prevents Williams’ family from being awarded any more money.
“In South Carolina, you’re stuck with the amount of insurance that applies to the boat that caused the accident. And in this case, death. And an added tragedy was that the insurance policy was written in such a way that there was no underinsurance for boats. We were at the limit,” he said. “We couldn’t get a dollar over the $505,000, which is pretty sickening.”
According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, Williams was one of six South Carolinians killed in a boating accident in 2023. Nationwide, 97 people died.
And overall, alcohol consumption was responsible for 200 recreational boating-related injuries, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.
“We don’t accept or tolerate drunk driving. But for whatever reason, many people in society still have no problem with people drinking beer, drinking liquor or driving a boat,” Berger said. “We need to do more, through law enforcement, but also as communities, to make this less common and less dangerous for innocent people like Jacob Williams.”
The Boat US Foundation, a leading advocacy group, explains that being on the water while intoxicated brings additional risk factors.
“The alcohol that makes you lose your balance also reduces your body’s ability to protect you against the cold water. With alcohol in your blood, the numbing effects of the cold water kick in much faster than when you are sober. Within minutes, you may no longer be able to call for help, swim to a flotation device or reach the safety of the boat,” the organization warns.
Berger said local and state law enforcement agencies should be given more resources to combat drunk driving on boats, while urging citizens to remember Williams’ legacy when they venture out into the water.
“That’s the worst call you can get. Some people look at it and say, ‘You know, that young man was 22 years old at the time, he was an adult,'” Berger said. “But to the parents, he’s still their little boy.”
The criminal case against Brown is still pending.
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Adam Benson joined News13’s digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stints at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and graduate of the University of Utah. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12You can find more of his work here.
Savannah Denton joined News 13 as a reporter and producer in July 2023. Savannah is from Atlanta, Georgia and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Follow Savannah on X, formerly Twitter, and read more about her work here.
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