On Friday, July 25, 2025, at approximately 5:32 PM, deputies from the Colorado River Station’s Marine Enforcement Unit and the Needles Station responded to a major injury boating collision on the Colorado River, just south of the Needles Bridge.
A 22-foot Cheetah deck boat, operated by Bruce Southworth, collided with an 18-foot Sanger vessel that was adrift on the river. Weston Stewart, a male occupant of the Sanger, sustained severe injuries. Sheriff’s deputies and San Bernardino County Fire personnel performed CPR, and Stewart was transported to the Colorado River Medical Center, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Southworth, was arrested at the scene and booked for negligent use of a watercraft while intoxicated causing injury. On Saturday, department officials confirmed that Southworth is a deputy and that he has been placed on administrative leave as a result of the crash
Is this crime eligible for the death penalty if convicted in a court of law?