Photo: Getty Images
Yikes!
By Bernadette Giacomazzo — Written on Sep 27, 2019
You don't normally hear about drama surrounding the stars of Shark Tank, which is why this story is nothing if not surprising. Recently, Kevin O'Leary's wife was charged with a pretty serious crime in connection to a boat crash that ultimately proved to be fatal.
If she's convicted, she faces up to 18 months behind bars, plus a $1 million fine.
And this is to say nothing of the potential civil liabilities that the family of the deceased could hit her with. It's also possible that if she's found guilty, she will forever tarnish her husband's good name.
So who is Linda O'Leary, and why is she being charged with a crime?
Let's look at what we know about Kevin O'Leary's wife.
1. The accident happened over the summer.
According to Yahoo, the accident happened in Ontario, where Linda O'Leary was driving the boat. The outlet reports that the Lake Joseph accident happened on August 24th, and it killed two people and injured three others.
2. Linda O'Leary's lawyer said that his client didn't do anything wrong.
"She has always been a cautious and experienced boater who came into collision with an unlit craft on a dark and moonless night. The other boat was sitting in a dark spot on a lake, no cottage lights nearby, no moon," Brian Greenspan, Linda O'Leary's lawyer, told Fox News. He added that he thought the potential penalties were too severe, because Linda O'Leary was driving a "pleasure boat," not an ocean liner, and she thus was excluded from being charged with a crime.
3. The other driver has also been charged in the accident.
According to TMZ, the other driver has also been charged with a crime. The outlet reports that Richard Ruh was driving without navigation lights, and as a result, he's facing the same penalties that Linda O'Leary is facing.
4. Kevin O'Leary hasn't been charged with a crime.
"On late Saturday night I was a passenger in a boat that was involved in a tragic collision with another watercraft that had no navigation lights on and then fled the scene. I am fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation. Out of respect for the victims families and to fully support the ongoing investigation I feel it is inappropriate to make further comments at this time. My heartfelt prayers and condolences to the victims, the families and those affected by this loss," his statement to MSN read, while confirming that he hadn't been charged with any crime.
5. Linda O'Leary was given a DUI test.
According to CNN, when the accident happened, Linda O'Leary was given a DUI test. She reportedly passed the test with flying colors.
6. If convicted, she faces heavy penalties.
"The wife of "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary has been charged with careless operation of a vessel in a fatal boat crash in Canada, authorities said Tuesday. Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Carolle Dionne said 56-year-old Linda O'Leary of Toronto is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 29," reported AOL.
Here's hoping for the best!
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.