Tulsa Man Charged In Grand Lake Boating Deaths Waives Hearing

Court records show John Deselms, 22, waived his right for a preliminary hearing last week and entered a not-guilty plea on the charges.

Wednesday, December 18th 2013, 11:34 am

By: News On 6


A Tulsa man has waived his preliminary hearing on two manslaughter charges in connection with a boating accident that killed two people on Grand Lake.

Court records show John Deselms, 22, waived his right for a preliminary hearing last week and entered a not-guilty plea on the charges. Deselms is charged with manslaughter in the May 14 deaths of Rachel Nichole Swetnam of Grove and William "Trey" Varner III of Texarkana, Arkansas.

Swetnam, Varner and Deselms were all students at the University of Arkansas.

Prosecutors allege DeSelms was operating a Cobalt boat that collided with a docked houseboat at the Arrowhead Yacht Club on Grand Lake. The bow of the Cobalt crashed through the back wall of the houseboat, killing Swetnam and Varner.

A Delaware County judge scheduled July 28 court appearance for Deselms.

11/14/2013 Related Story: Hearing Delayed For Tulsan Charged In Grand Lake Boat Crash Deaths

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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