SANDPOINT — A pretrial conference for a man charged in connection with a fatal boat crash last September has been continued to mid-November to allow time for mediation.  

Sean Caldon, 54, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and operating a watercraft while under the influence, where he could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of the alleged crimes.  

Caldon pleaded not guilty to the felony charges in March, with a pretrial conference and trial slated for June 15 and Aug. 10, respectively. At that same March hearing, Caldon waived his right to a speedy trial.

However, the pretrial conference and trial were delayed to the tail end of the year to allow for mediation to occur between the two parties.  

Mediation is a voluntary process that occurs to reach a mutually acceptable resolution to potentially avoid a courtroom trial. The confidential process includes a third-party mediator to manage the conversation and help the conflicting sides understand each other's perspectives. A resolution is ultimately determined by the conflicting parties, not the mediator.  

Officials became aware of the crash by way of a 911 call Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, at about 10:50 p.m., where Caldon had reported that he had run his boat aground on Cottage Island.   

Caldon told officials his passenger, Jose “Gomie” Gomez, had been ejected from the boat and was missing. Multiple first responders and emergency personnel responded to the scene, including the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Police, Bonner County Emergency Services and the Sam Owen and Sandpoint fire departments.  

Sam Owen Fire was the first agency on scene and initiated search efforts for Gomez. Upon locating him on land, the agency reported several lifesaving attempts before pronouncing him deceased.  

Criminal charges were filed Oct. 14, 2025, after a full investigation of the crash.