The victim was identified as Harry Holzhauer, 68, of Tigard, Oregon, who moved north from California three years ago and was in San Francisco teaching real estate appraisal courses for his employer, The Portland-based Appraisal Institute. The institute says that Holzhauer was a highly respected real estate appraiser and analyst who spent much of his career and life in Southern California and had just moved to Oregon within the last year.
The U.S. Coast Guard says Holzhauer died Saturday evening about an hour after the power boat he was in collided with the MS San Francisco, a Golden Gate ferry, in the San Francisco Bay at 4 p.m. in Racoon Strait, near Tiburon. The Coast Guard is still investigating the crash; Golden Gate Ferry would not comment while the investigation is still open.
The Coast Guard towed the boat to Tiburon and the victims were flown to the hospital, but no one on the ferry was hurt. The MS San Francisco was taken out of service for inspection and was put back in service Sunday morning.
Golden Gate Ferry says all five crew members were given routine drug and alcohol tests. The crew is back at work while the ferry captain is still out on routine administrative leave.
Experienced boaters say this kind of accident doesn't happen often, but the potential is always there. "There are a lot of boats out and these ferry's move faster than you think when you're out there. You think you've got plenty of room and it turns out they get close to you sooner than you expect," Sausalito sailboat owner Richard Leeds said.
The Appraisal Institute says that Holzhauer leaves behind a wife, two children and six grandchildren.
