In Wednesday’s blog post, we discussed the drunk boating controversy currently surrounding Maryland State Delegate Don Dwyer. According to media reports, Dwyer allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration of .2 when he was piloting a motorboat that collided head-on with another recreational vessel. Fortunately, no one was killed in the Aug. 22 accident.
All too often drunk boating accidents do end in tragedy. On June 23, Christopher Mannino, 39, was killed by a drunk boater. He was one of five people aboard a 38-foot fishing boat when it was struck by a 25-foot speedboat in the Great South Bay. The sudden impact threw Mannino into the water, and search crews found his body under the Robert Moses Bridge approximately nine hours later. The pilot of the speedboat, Brian Andreski, 26, was charged with boating while intoxicated.
Another fatal drunken boating accident, which occurred on Petite Lake in July, has led to charges of reckless homicide and aggravated DUI against David Hatyina, 50. Authorities allege that Hatyina had both alcohol and cocaine in his system when his boat ran over 10-year-old Tony Borcia, who was bobbing in his life jacket in the water. Borcia had just slipped off an inner-tube, and his father was swinging the family’s pontoon boat around to pick him up. When they saw that Hatyina was heading straight for Borcia, they waved and yelled at him to stop, but Hatyina failed to notice them . . . or the boy in the water.
Victims of drunk boating need an experienced maritime attorney on their side, one who will investigate the accident and protect their family’s legal rights. If an intoxicated boater has injured you or killed your loved one, visit our website to find out how a Boston maritime attorney can help you, and fill out the contact form to schedule a free consultation.
Latti Associates LLC – Boston maritime trial lawyers