Arlington businessman killed in boating accident

A prominent Arlington businessman was killed and a second man critically injured this weekend after striking a bridge while boating on Cedar Creek Reservoir.

Daniel Mohorc, 64, president and CEO of Arlington-based Galactic Performance Solutions, was taken by helicopter ambulance to an area hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The second man, dentist Anthony Henegar, 45, of Arlington, remained in critical condition Monday, authorities said.

The lake is about 80 miles southeast of Fort Worth in Henderson and Kaufman counties.

Steve Lightfoot, a spokesman with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said the two men were among adults and teens traveling in a Regal pleasure boat when it struck the Texas 198 bridge near Payne Springs about 11:30 p.m. Friday.

Lightfoot said the initial field report indicated that Mohorc and Henegar were standing in the boat, but later said that does not appear to be true.

The boat’s operator, 58-year-old Larry Scala of Arlington, was arrested on suspicion of boating while intoxicated. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bail.

Lightfoot said authorities obtained a blood sample from Scala but alcohol level results were not yet back.

He said the investigation is continuing, and it was unknown Monday whether Scala would face additional charges in the case.

‘Kind of like an obstacle’

Lightfoot did not know the bridge’s clearance but said it is locally known as the “low bridge.”

“When the water is up, it can be pretty difficult to get under,” Lightfoot said. “Our game wardens can’t get under it with their canopy on their boats, so it’s fairly low.”

John R. Baley, owner of the nearby Baley’s Marina, said while the middle of the bridge has a clearance of about 20 feet, “as you get closer to the land, it drops down to probably about three feet or so.”

He said he cautions renters at his marina about the bridge’s low clearance and instructs them how to lower their boat’s canopy if needed.

Baley said the bridge can be difficult to see at night because it has no lights on it, making it potentially dangerous for boaters not using running lights.

“If it’s in the dark, it will come upon you suddenly,” Baley said. “I’ve fished under the bridge before. It’s pitch black. You have turn the light on to bait your hook.”

Baley said he recalls a jet boat being split in half after running into the bridge some 30 years ago.

“All the highway bridges have had incidents,” he said. “It’s kind of like an obstacle. You’ve got to be aware and pay attention.”

‘Great man and great friend’

Michael Jacobson, president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, said he became good friends with Mohorc in the six months he has been in Arlington.

He described Mohorc as a “great man and great friend.”

“Dan would always meet you with a hug, and he cared deeply about people,” Jacobson said.

He said Mohorc was committed to the company that he founded and very active in the chamber, Boys & Girls Clubs of Arlington and Vote Yes! Keep the Rangers With No New Taxes political action committee.

“Dan was absolutely 100 percent committed to Arlington,” Jacobson said.

Gary Cornwell, chief operating officer of Galactic, called the death of his longtime colleague and close friend “a big shock.”

“I always thought he was superman,” Cornwell said. “… He was a friend to everyone, a true optimist. He was an amazing husband and father. His wife and kids are a testament to who he was. He’s a guy who lived life to his fullest, and he did so on his own terms.”

Cornwell described Mohorc as a “true champion” of Arlington and Tarrant County and a staunch supporter of Mission Arlington.

“He and a couple of his friends would go around collecting donated bicycles to be able to donate through Mission Arlington to families that didn’t have bikes for his kids,” Cornwell said. “He was a very special man. The net that Dan cast with his influence is wide.”

Cornwell said the weekend trip was a get-away for three very close families.

“They were just very excited to spend time together for the weekend. For Dan, everything was about living life and being with family. If you were friends, you were family,” he said.

The incident, he said, is a tragedy for all three families involved and has left Mohorc’s wife and two children leaning on their faith.

“They’re as concerned about the other two families involved as they are their own,” Cornwell said. “That’s just the way the Mohorcs are.”

Staff writer Lee Williams contributed to this report.

This story was originally published July 25, 2016 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Arlington businessman killed in boating accident."