Relative Says ‘Nobody’s at Fault’ in Stunt Death

The movie location boat accident that killed 29-year-old stuntwoman Janet Wilder was the result of a “controlled situation” gone awry for which “nobody’s at fault,” her father-in-law said Wednesday.

Glenn Wilder, head of one of Hollywood’s leading stunt companies, said choppy seas and high winds may have contributed to Tuesday morning’s accident near Naples, Fla., which also left four people injured, including Janet Wilder’s husband, Scott, 33, and his father. Scott Wilder declined to be interviewed.

The Florida Marine Patrol, Collier County state attorney’s office and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating. The county medical examiner has not issued a report on the cause of death.

It occurred near the end of location filming for “Gone Fishin,” a comedy starring Danny Glover and Joe Pesci for Disney’s Hollywood Pictures. Disney officials have had no comment.

Glenn Wilder, 62, said he was playing a salesman showing boats to a couple--his son and daughter-in-law. The scene called for the boat to roar up a channel between two docks--himself on one, Scott and Janet on the other--and plow into nearby boats as the Wilders dove in the water to escape.

The craft, a twin-engine Ranger outboard driven by veteran Los Angeles stuntman Tony Brubaker, was going 40 mph to 45 mph when it struck the docks, Wilder said.

The stunt, under the supervision of stunt coordinator Shane Dixon, had been performed Monday. But director Christopher Kane wanted the boat to come farther up into the channel, Wilder said. So the scene was re-shot, with more speed.

“The winds were heavy, the seas choppy, and it came off the ramp wrong. I knew it was wrong. It was a controlled situation, and it seemed like a perfect, safe place for her. But the boat came off about 8 feet further than it should,” veering toward the couple, Glenn Wilder said.

The Wilders were holding hands in the scene. “He tried to push her out of the way. The boat flew over my head. I won’t know what happened until we see the film,” Wilder said. “As far as we’re concerned, nobody’s at fault.”