A 40-foot boat ran aground Sunday night on Long Island killing three people. Four others were injured. All four are listed in critical condition.

The initial investigation states the most likely cause for the boat accident is speed. Witnesses report seeing the boat "tearing across the water." The boat was travelling so fast that it flew 150 feet through the marshes before coming to rest. All the occupants of the boat were ejected. The 64-year-old driver who also owned the boat died at the scene and two others, a man and a woman died later at the hospital.

Because three people were killed, Nassau county authorities are investigating the boating accident as a crime.

Though the most common types of boating accidents are collisions with other watercraft, sinking, and slip and falls on the deck, crashing into objects on or near the shore has killed a number of boaters this year. In these cases, speed is often a contributing factor. There are rarely safety belts to keep the occupants from being thrown around and sometimes people do not wear safety vests.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident, please contact an experienced boat injury attorney in your area today.