Stephen Fossi, 43, was the captain of the inflatable vessel, ‘The inevitable’, that allegedly hit a rock in the vicinity of Cow Mouth off Virgin Gorda on the night of January 24, 2015. Two passengers were killed in the accident – Howard Anderson of Jamaica and Kari Anne Way of the United States. Photo: VINO/File

As the case of manslaughter against Steve Fossi comes to a close, the Jury heard testimony by way of video conferencing from a psychologist who has diagnosed Fossi with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the wartime mental condition brought on by experiencing a severe stress or traumatic event. Photo: VINO/File

Fossi, 43, was the captain of the inflatable vessel, ‘The inevitable’, that allegedly hit a rock in the vicinity of Cow Mouth off Virgin Gorda on the night of January 24, 2015. Two passengers were killed in the accident – Howard Anderson of Jamaica and Kari Anne Way of the United States. Photo: Provided

The trial continues tomorrow February 18, 2016 at 2:00 pm, when more witnesses are expected to come forward and the parties expected to make their closing arguments. Photo: VINO/File

Fossi, 43, was the captain of the inflatable vessel, ‘The inevitable’, that allegedly hit a rock in the vicinity of Cow Mouth off Virgin Gorda on the night of January 24, 2015. Two passengers were killed in the accident – Howard Anderson of Jamaica and Kari Anne Way of the United States.

Testifying from San Diego, California on Thursday February 18, 2016, Dr Ronald W. McNally – a clinical psychologist – said that following the accident he treated Fossi and diagnosed that he was suffering from PTSD. 

The first of about 12 sessions reportedly took place on January 31, 2015. According to the doctor, Fossi said he had never sought counselling before and that he was very distressed over the fact that persons lost their lives and were injured. 

Dr McNally also testified that Fossi said he could not remember how the accident occurred or whether or not he was driving the boat at the time of the accident. 

According to Dr McNally, Fossi as a result of the accident was experiencing stress, tension, depression and anxiety. 

Crown Prosecutor Valston Graham asked whether Dr McNally would be able to make a determination whether his patient was falsifying information in his account. 

“If I had a sense of anyone falsifying anything based on my observations and evaluations I would never give a diagnosis of PTSD,” said Dr McNally via video conferencing.

Both the defence and the prosecution are to address the court on Monday February 22, 2016 at 9:00 am with their closing arguments. 

See previous article published on February 17, 2016:

Fossi did everything he could to avoid boat collision – Witness

- expert witness testifies in Steve Fossi boat accident manslaughter trial that his examination of the wreckage suggests the captain tried to take evasive action & engine failure might have occurred

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – As the High Court trial of boat captain Steve Fossi continued today February 17, 2016, a witness for the defence testified that it is his expert conclusion that Fossi did everything he could to avoid the boat slamming into rocks off Virgin Gorda on the night of the fatal accident.

Fossi, 43, was the captain of the inflatable vessel, ‘The inevitable’, that allegedly hit a rock in the vicinity of Cow Mouth off Virgin Gorda on the night of January 24, 2015. Two passengers were killed in the accident – Howard Anderson of Jamaica and Kari Anne Way of the United States.

Under intense questioning from Principal Crown Prosecutor Valston Graham, defence witness Arlen M. Leiner, a boat captain with some 35 years experience, testified that someone who was in the position of the captain on the fateful day would likely increase speed with a view to avoid crashing into rocks.

He said that from his examination of the wreckage, he concluded that the captain took evasive action by turning left.
Further, Leiner testified that it is possible that the boat engines failed, something that while he not could establish with 100 percent certainty as fact, he was 99.9 percent sure that this was what happened based on his examination of the evidence.

Captain Leiner believes a computer analysis of the engine will reveal that the engine failed on that fateful night, something he said other evidence points to upon physical examination of the wreckage.

He said also that much of the evidence was compromised when the boat was towed from the site to the shore.

Graham challenged Leiner that he had no conclusive evidence to suggest that the engines of the boat failed. Further, Graham insisted that in conditions as described as being present on the night of January 24, 2015, a GPS system should have been used by the captain. However, Captain Leiner said GPS systems are accurate only up to 330 feet and hence it was not 100 percent accurate.

The trial continues tomorrow February 18, 2016 at 2:00 pm, when more witnesses are expected to come forward and the parties expected to make their closing arguments.