Boat Operator Charged Following Bride-to-Be’s Death

According to USA Today, the operator of the boat that crashed into a construction barge on the Hudson River near the Tappan Zee Bridge, killing a bride-to-be and injuring at least four others in Rockland County has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.

The boat accident happened on July 27. Jojo K. John, 35, of Nyack was charged with manslaughter on July 30, after authorities with the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department found the body of 30-year-old Lindsey Stewart, of Piermont near the Tappan Zee Marina.

Alcohol is considered a factor in the charge, according to USA Today, based on blood samples and witness statements surrounding the crash. John has also been charged with three counts of second-degree vehicular assault.

Stewart was scheduled to be married to Brian Bond of Piermont on August 10. Four people including Bond were hospitalized and pulled from the water following the crash. The best man for Stewart’s wedding, Mark Lennon, remains missing. According to USA Today, some boaters have questioned whether the “barge was properly lighted and visible.”

“While the Rockland County Sheriff, N.Y. State Police and U.S. Coast Guard continue to investigate this tragic incident, the New York State Thruway Authority is conducting its own review of safety procedures on the Hudson River as part of the New NY Bridge Project,” Brian Conybeare, an adviser on the bridge project, said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

If you boat under the influence of alcohol, you put yourself and your passengers at risk for personal injuries and drowning. According to the US Coast Guard, in 2011, there were 4,588 boating accidents nationally, involving 758 deaths, 3081 injuries.

If you have suffered a personal injury in Rockland County, contact us toll free at (866) 971-0927 to schedule a free initial consultation or complete the form on this page to let our skilled attorneys review your case.

Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. – Rockland County Injury Lawyers