Lifelong Sailor Killed in Yacht Club Crash

DETROIT - A lifelong sailor is dead, knocked into the water by an out-of-control SUV. It happened Saturday night at Detroit's Bayview Yacht Club. During the chaos, no one noticed the man was hit.

Mike Badendick loved the sea. The 45-year-old Plymouth native and U.S. Navy veteran was an accomplished sailor who died near the waters he sailed so well. He was at the Bayview Yacht Club Saturday following the NOOD Regatta.

John Tipp is a longtime club member and was having dinner when he heard about the accident.

"Someone came in and said there was this accident and a car went over the edge and landed on a finger dock and subsequently they pulled the people out and there was some people hurt, but it looked like everybody was going to be okay," he said.

The 68-year-old driver of an SUV told police he accidentally hit the gas and plowed into a group of people standing on a dock and into two boats. Seven people were taken to St. John Hospital and two people were plucked from the water. Unknown to others, Badendick was knocked into the water. His wife called police when he didn't return home. Divers searched and recovered his body Sunday.

"He might of just been walking by at the wrong moment and the little group that got hit along with him didn't know he was even there," Tipp said.

The death and circumstances in the tragedy have stunned members of the sailing club.

"It's so rare that something like this would happen, and I understand it was just a total accident," said Tipp. Hopefully there's no drinking involved, and I heard that there wasn't."

Detroit Police have ruled it an accident and do not expect any charges against the driver of the SUV.

Family members say Badendick was noted for his kindness and sense of humor. He was on the crew of three Port Huron to Mackinac race champions.

"Just a real tragedy and a total shame that a good sailor... had to die under those circumstances at a young age," Tipp said.