THE ATA MARINE & MARITIME TEAM

Mr. Swint is the founder and CEO of ATA Associates. He spent 25 years with the NASA Space Program. He founded ATA in 1974 when he began consulting on a boating reconstruction case. He has subsequently worked on over 6000 accident reconstructions. He has been involved in numerous marine associations and organizations that deal in requirements, safety, standards, and reconstruction (NASBLA, ABYC, NBSC & NBF). He is recognized as a leader in boating accident reconstruction.

Mr. Fritsch is a licensed, professional engineer with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from
Rice University. He has worked at ATA Associates for over 17 years after gaining broad engineering experience in prior jobs with two NASA contractors and an oilfield equipment manufacturer. Mr. Fritsch’s areas of expertise include the measurement and evaluation of motor vehicle and boat dynamics using accelerometers and other electronic instrumentation, including global positioning system (GPS) technology. In addition to his credentials and experience in mechanical engineering, Ed has also passed the professional engineer’s exam in naval architecture and marine engineering, and he has been trained and certified by the American Welding Society
as a welding inspector.


Mr. Vaughan has received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Wright State University with a focus in design engineering. Allen has developed proficiency analyzing accidents using engineering tools such as the FARO 3D scanner, FARO Zone 3D, Context Capture and ArcGIS software, V-Box data collector and surveying equipment. .


Ms. Yergin has been an accident investigator since 1994, when she went to study under forensic physicist Thomas L. Bohan, a past president of the Academy of Forensic Sciences. April has two degrees, one of which was a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from Arizona State University.

Ms. Yergin has extensive experience in vehicle systems download, dynamics analysis and computer-aided simulation tools, and is ACTAR certified.


Dr. Andre is a professor at James Madison University. His expertise centers on visual perception and human factors. He has been conducting vision research in university settings since 1988 and has over 20 publications and 55 conference presentations and invited addresses. Dr. Andre’s expert witness consulting activities provide him an opportunity to apply his research and interests in visual science and human factors to the legal community.

In his 20 year career, he has provided expert opinions on issues such as, but not limited to, conspicuity,
lighting conditions, perception-reaction time, and alcohol’s effects on vision, expectation and attention. He has represented almost evenly plaintiffs and defense clients and includes both civil and criminal cases involving driving, traffic, pedestrian, cyclist, residential, trip & fall, and boating/maritime matters.

David Bolyard Jr. is a highly knowledgable marine accident investigator. David graduated from University
of Louisiana at Lafayette with a bachelor degree in Criminal Justice as well as a minor is Sociology. David is a licensed Private Investigator in the state of Louisiana, as well as, a FAA licensed UAS Remote (Drone) Pilot. David is one of few civilians to hold an N.A.S.B.L.A. Comprehensive Boating Accident Investigation certificate. David has been an avid sailor since childhood and has numerous regional and national sailing accomplishments, and has been a licensed vessel operator since 2004.

Mr. Clark is Co-Founder and Vice-President of Applied Marine Technology, Inc., a consulting company that specializes in marine accident reconstruction, investigations, program development, training, and executive support services on a national level. He is a court accepted expert in Marine Accident Investigation and Reconstruction, Boating Safety, and Airboat Operations in numerous state and federal courts. Mr. Clark served with distinction in Law Enforcement for over 30 years. Mr. Clark is an Honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Darren Clark is a highly experienced marine accident investigator. Darren studied Criminal Justice, Psychology and Sociology at Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU). Darren is a licensed Private Investigator in the state of Louisiana. Darren is OSHA certified through the state of Louisiana, Louisiana Department of Labor and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Equality. Darren is one of few civilians to hold an N.A.S.B.L.A. Comprehensive Boating Accident Investigation Certificate. Darren started his career in The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Inland Fisheries Division. As a Departmental student, there were several certificates and licenses obtained by Darren that allowed him to operate state equipment. Mr. Clark has earned a boater safety certificate, vegetation identification certificate, shocking certificate and the operations and mechanics of a vessel certificate. Darren is also a drone pilot.

Mr. Dein is a marine consultant for boat design, construction, integrated logistics, support management, training and operations. He has been an expert witness in federal courts since 1977. Mr. Dein has been Commandant of the U. S. Coast Guard’s Vessel Accident Safety Board and has been a legal and safety vessel accident investigator and reviewer for over forty years.

Mr. Dein has been a licensed U. S. Coast Guard Master since 1962. He is rated as a Master for triple-screw passenger ferries and towboats. He has operated small boats, towboats, and ships up to 2000 tons in seas and oceans world-wide. He has also Conducted numerous search and rescue missions onboard Coast Guard vessels and helicopters for a wide variety of boat, ship aircraft and personnel incidents.

William "Bill" Gossard has 48 years of experience as a consultant in transportation safety issues and has extensive background in the arenas of recreational boating and personal watercraft. Bill has worked for the Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation and the independent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He is also well-versed in drone safety issues. Additionally, Mr. Gossard has completed twelve national reports adopted by the five member NTSB Presidential Board - a task not equaled by any other staff member of the NTSB.


Dr. Lasseigne has extensive experience in the fields of metallurgy, hydrogen, corrosion, and materials science and is a world renowned expert in hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion.

Angelique places great emphasis on taking an ethical approach to her work and has published over 90 papers and co-authored three books in the fields of welding metallurgy, corrosion, and non-destructive testing for materials characterization. She received bachelors degrees in physics and metallurgical engineering and her M.S. and Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

U. S. Navy veteran and recently retired Deputy Director of the National Safe Boating Council Fred Messmann brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team. Fred spent 25 years in the Nevada Department of Wildlife, first as a boating officer and game warden, then as a boating law administrator. He was also a member of the National Boating Safety Advisory Council from 2002 to 2016. Fred has been an active member of multiple boating associations and councils, including the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), on which he sat on the executive board in 1993 and from 1999-2005 and served as association president in 2004.

Alison Osinski is a highly experienced aquatic consultant, specializing in aquatic risk management, and aquatic facility design, management and operation. Her expertise includes site inspections, pool design and renovation projects, staff screening and selection, expert testimony, accident investigation, equipment specification and testing, pool operator training and certification courses, and water quality analysis. She is actively involved with several national and regional aquatic organizations. Dr. Osinski is an author with over 150 publications to her credit, editorial advisory board member for several aquatic publications and journals, workshop coordinator and frequent speaker at national aquatic conferences. Alison is also a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain (Master, Near Coastal - 100 Tons, with Sailing, Towing, TWIC & STCW Endorsements).

Mr. Shirey is an Analytical Chemist and the owner of Shirey Analytical Services. SAS is a material analysis consulting agency focusing on the compositional analysis of coatings/paint, elastomers, plastics and oils.
Lynn's capabilities in the use of microscopes include 40X and 200X visual microscopy as well as micro-FTIR analysis.

Lynn conducts root cause failure analysis of coatings, plastics and elastomers on a routine basis.


21st Century Forensic Animation is the oldest forensic animation firm in the nation and is one of the pioneers in the forensic animation field. They work in conjunction with experts across the globe to create sophisticated 3D computer visualization of their expert opinion. They have generated countless animations for cases involving motor vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, trucking, motor coaches and trains. They also have extensive experience in cases involving maritime, aviation, construction, OSHA, FELA, product liability, maintenance, electricity, explosions, fires, environmental, oil & gas, roadway design, patents, floods, hurricanes, capital murder, death penalty, mass shootings, and even war crimes, plus many others. 21st Century utilizes the latest technologies such as UAV (drone), laser scanning and close-range photogrammetry to insure the accuracy and verifiability
of their animations.


Mariusz Ziejewski, PhD, is a Professor in the College of Engineering at North Dakota State University where he is the director of the Impact Biomechanics Laboratory and the director of the Automotive Systems Laboratory. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University Of North Dakota School Of Medicine.

Dr. Ziejewski has performed human body dynamics research for the Armstrong Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Human System Division which is part of the United States Air Force. He has been a member of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Collaboration Group on Human Brain Modeling. He has been involved in Emergency Room (ER) Biomechanical Brain Injury Evaluation, at Meritcare’s Trauma Center, Fargo, ND. Dr. Ziejewski was also named the founding chair of the Blast Injury Institute of NABIS.