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Sarah
06-08-2007, 02:27 PM
From Keynoter, a Florida newspaper:

An Ohio woman remained in critical condition at Mariners Hospital in Tavernier at press time Tuesday, after a Saturday dive accident off Key Largo.

Kendra Conrad Motter, 40, of Canton, Ohio, was stricken while near the end of a dive from a boat based at the Horizon Divers operation.

She reportedly fell unconscious and was raced to shore. At one point, she was breathing only with assistance. Further details on her condition, beyond its description as “critical,” were not available.

Motter is an adjunct instructor in medical-information technology at Stark State College of Technology in North Canton. She was scheduled to begin teaching classes for the new term Tuesday, a college spokeswoman said.

Investigation of the incident took an unusual turn when Monroe County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested dive-shop employee Michael Ryan, 53, on several counts after he reportedly tried to tamper with Motter's equipment.

Ryan, who identified himself as a dive instructor, was charged with a felony count of attempting to destroy evidence and a misdemeanor count of obstructing a law enforcement officer. He also was charged with resisting arrest, but the level had not been determined.

A call to the owner of Horizon Divers was not returned Tuesday.

“Instead of giving the equipment to Deputy [Julie] Smith, he walked with it to a hose and began to hose it off,” Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Becky Herrin related. “Deputy Smith ordered him to stop immediately.... Ryan reportedly ignored her orders and continued to rinse the equipment.”

dalehall
06-09-2007, 12:29 AM
If this is the story I remember hearing from a few weeks ago, I want to say the employee actually did or tried to erase the dive profile from that day. That was the big stink about "destroying evidence" they were talking about. I'm not sure what type of computer she had, but you can't erase any out of mine. Once you hit 50 dives, it just erases the oldest one to make room for the last one. I guess there are ones out there you can erase.

amtrosie
06-09-2007, 12:15 PM
This accident happened a while ago. See:


http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s070120.html


I had to laugh a little when I read of Mike Ryan's arrest, I have had "dealings" with him in the past.

As a follow-up, I have not heard of anything more relating to this incident. For all I know this has all gone away, I just don't know.

amtrosie
06-09-2007, 02:42 PM
I feel compelled to add however, that Horizon Divers as a whole is a very good operation. For those divers that are more inclined to go to "tech friendly" boats, they are that, in spades. Their operation for the recreational divers is friendly and knowledgable. As I said, a good operation.

PinayDiver
06-09-2007, 03:13 PM
This accident happened a while ago. See:


http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s070120.html


I had to laugh a little when I read of Mike Ryan's arrest, I have had "dealings" with him in the past.

As a follow-up, I have not heard of anything more relating to this incident. For all I know this has all gone away, I just don't know.


What sort of "dealings"? (And only if you don't mind sharing.) I smell an interesting (and maybe instructive) story...
Speaking of interesting, cdnn's choice of photo (of Mike Ryan suited up), if clothes make the man etcetera...

amtrosie
07-14-2007, 04:15 PM
What sort of "dealings"? (And only if you don't mind sharing.) I smell an interesting (and maybe instructive) story...
Speaking of interesting, cdnn's choice of photo (of Mike Ryan suited up), if clothes make the man etcetera...



Not as interesting as you would think. He was very adamant about the diver wearing a snorkle ( I havn't for years), and was very misinformed with the manner with which I declined that particular piece of equipment. It was the zealousness of a misinformed, pashionate advocate. That is the basic sum of the story, the rest is just ancillary "fluff".:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

BillW
07-15-2007, 02:37 AM
It’s been a tough year for Dan and Horizon Divers. Last month Dan was burned and lost one of his boats when it exploded and burned at the dock.

http://floridakeystreasures.com/keysblog/2007/06/08/horizon-dive-shop-owner-hurt-in-boat-explosion/

amtrosie
07-15-2007, 07:43 PM
I had heard that Dan no longer had the "Oceana", I was unaware of the circumstances. Sad to hear this. Dan runs a good operation, I can only wish him nothing but the best.