A North Idaho couple was killed late Saturday night when their boat crashed into the Long Bridge piling on Lake Pend Oreille near Sandpoint.
Arount 11:20 pm Saturday a boat with three people inside smashed into the Long Bridge piling near Sandpoint.  Sandpint residents were killed, a third person was injured in the crash.  He was rescued and taken to Bonner General Hospital.
The Bonner County Sheriff's office is investigating the crash.

Approximately 2100 hours 7/3/2010 two persons boarded a vessel and proceeded to an area off Sandpoint, Idaho's City beach.  The vessel rafted with another vessel to observe a fireworks display.  After the fireworks display the vessel proceeded to the concrete pier at city beach and boarded another person. The vessel then departed Lake Pend Oreille and proceeded under the Railroad and Long Bridge into the Pend Oreille River.  After passing under the long brige the vessel stopped so two passengers could relieve themselves.  While stopped the operator received a cell phone call from the vessel that they had previously rafted with requesting help as they could no get their vessel started.  After starting his vessel, the victim rapidly accelerated.  The vessel impacted the structural cross members of the Long Bridge striking the bow, windshield and towing tower.  The vessel hull and deck sections partially separated an a bridge piling was implanted into the bow hull section.  A witness stated that the vessel was traveling at a high rate of speed with navigation lights on.

Sandpoint                     