Widow sues Charlotte County boat club for husband’s ‘wrongful’ death

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla.- Years after a deadly boating accident, the victim’s wife is now suing the boat rental company she says is responsible.

Bruce Vilardi was driving a boat rented from the Freedom Boat Club at the time he hit Lee Hollis.

Vilardi had previously lost his license for DUI. Investigators with FWC say Vilardi was drunk when his boat collided with Hollis. Hollis died in December 2013 after being hit while jet skiing near Stump Pass.

Gina Hollis tells WINK News she feels Freedom Boat Club was “entirely responsible for her husband’s death.”

In the lawsuit, she says Vilardi had his license suspended in October, for driving under the influence.

Hollis says Freedom Boat Club should have never let him out on the water.

“They knew that Mr. Vilardi was taking alcohol on to their boats every weekend, repeatedly, and they allowed it to happen. It would have been very simple for them to just run a check on a license or ask if there was valid license, none of which occurred, it was just pure negligence,” said Hollis.

Hollis says she hopes the two can come to an amicable solution. She says the family is moving forward, and she hopes this will cause Freedom Boat Club to check licenses from now on.

WINK News spoke with Freedom Boat Club corporate offices, who say their heartfelt condolences go out to the family, but that they cannot comment on pending litigation.