Boyfriend dies in Dauphin Island boating accident, girlfriend has long road to recovery

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Five families have been struck by tragedy after a devastating boating accident off Dauphin Island on Saturday. A man from Théodore was killed and four others were injured.

One of the victims Bethie Kincey, 23, was still in hospital on Monday evening. She was the longtime girlfriend of 22-year-old Quinton Zirlott, who was killed in the wreckage.

“She kept asking about Quinton and wanted to make sure he was okay, because she loved him, she loved him very much,” said Karin Hinton, Bethie’s aunt.

Bethie and Quinton were both ejected from the boat early Saturday morning when officials said it crashed into a concrete wall near the Dauphin Island airport. Bethie, along with other passengers Bransen Lee, Chase Stork and Robert Zirlott were hospitalized.

Quinton did not survive.

Bethie still has a long way to go to recover.

“Bethie is still in a lot of pain right now,” Hinton said. “She had a broken femur, a broken tibia, her ankle was broken on the left side and she’s probably going to need surgery on her right knee.”

Hinton said they were responsible children who did not act recklessly. She said Robert Zirlott, the driver and Quinton’s cousin, didn’t see the wall until it was too late.

“They weren’t racing or joking around,” she said. “It’s a really good group of kids. They are responsible enough to be 23 years old.

Hinton is looking for the Dauphin Island resident who found the group and helped.

“I’m very grateful to the person who found them who was on the island as quickly as he did,” she said.

Bethie is still in University Hospital on Monday evening, but the three other passengers have been released.

If you know of the Dauphin Island resident who came to the rescue, the family would love to hear from you.

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