TRAVERSE CITY — A Traverse City man pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges connected to a boat crash in Grand Traverse Bay.
Mark Mikula, 55, appeared in the 86th District Court on Thursday for arraignment on two misdemeanor charges filed in connection with a boating hit-and-run that occurred just before 1:30 a.m. Aug. 31.
The charges he’s facing are failing to stop after an accident and failing to render assistance. A pretrial conference is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 4.
Mikula’s attorney, Shawn Worden, waived a formal reading of the charges at the virtual hearing and entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of his client.
When bond discussions began, Worden pointed out that Mikula was a board-certified emergency medicine doctor who works at Munson Medical Center and he had made arrangements to turn himself in once the warrant had been issued.
“He’s taken this matter very seriously to this point and I don’t think he would be a flight risk or there would be any reason for additional conditions on bond, other than the normal conditions for a failure to report,” Worden said.
Magistrate Tammi Rodgers did add some bond conditions on top of the $100 interim bond Mikula had posted.
Rodgers said he may not operate any vehicle or vessel without valid registration, insurance and license nor with any alcohol or illegal or controlled substance, “even that which might be prescribed to you,” she said.
Mikula also must be respectful of all court employees and care providers and refrain from threatening, intimidating, harassing or violent behavior toward anyone, Rodgers said.
In the August incident, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s officers said they believe Mikula was heading north from Traverse City in his 2022 Starcraft pontoon, traveling in the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay, when he struck a 1995 Rinker cabin cruiser that was heading west from Old Mission Peninsula. Police said Mikula then fled the scene.
The sheriff’s report said that the rear third of the Rinker was “removed” in the crash.
The man operating the Rinker told deputies that he had been traveling at about 6 knots and did not see any navigational lights of an oncoming craft. Then he saw a “shadow of what appeared to be a pontoon boat” heading toward him – already too close for him to maneuver away from – so he “braced for impact.”
Upon reaching the damaged cabin cruiser, deputies searched the area for other possible victims in the water and asked the U.S. Coast Guard to launch an H6V rescue helicopter for assistance, the report said.
After an extensive search, when no evidence or additional people were found, the search was called off and the Rinker was towed back to shore. Then the sheriff’s office created a social media post asking the public for help in finding the other boat. Police said two people called in a tip that led them to Mikula’s dock and boat where evidence was collected.