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Ship captain charged in death had role on TV show

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KENAI, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska man charged with manslaughter once captained a ship on the pilot that spawned the cable TV show "Deadliest Catch."

The Peninsula Clarion reports 59-year-old Clarence "Ole" Helgevold was the captain of the Arctic Dawn. That was the vessel featured in a 2004 three-part miniseries titled "America's Deadliest Season." The Clarion reports the show, effectively a pilot for "Deadliest Catch," followed Helgevold and his crew during the 2003-2004 opilio crab season.

Helgevold was charged last week with driving under the influence and manslaughter after his car struck a snowmachine and killed 47-year-old George Larion.

The Arctic Dawn was substantially damaged in September when it caught fire while moored in Seattle.

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Information from: Peninsula Clarion, http://www.peninsulaclarion.com

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