New Hampshire Drunk Boating Accident Injures Four, Demonstrates Importance of Staying Sober on Water

The maritime attorneys at Latti & Anderson LLP want everybody to have a happy and safe holiday tomorrow for Independence Day. For those who plan to celebrate on the water, designating a sober vessel operator needs to be a top priority. Last week we discussed Operation Dry Water, the national three-day campaign against boating under the influence that corresponds with the Fourth of July and the peak of the summer boating season. According to the US Coast Guard, alcohol contributed to 140 of the 651 recreational boating fatalities across the country in 2012.

Three years ago, 30-year-old groom-to-be Jijo Puthuvamkunnath was killed when his 17-foot Bayliner was struck by a 30-foot ProLine vessel, the REEL IMPULSIVE, near the Statue of Liberty. The skipper of the REEL IMPULSIVE, 39-year-old Richard Aquilone was arrested after failing a breathalyzer test. “He said he wanted to go out and celebrate for July 4,” David Marsh, a neighbor of Puthuvamkunnath’s, told the New York Daily News. “This is just so sad.”

Just last month, the Lowell Sun reported that four people sustained injuries when a 21-foot Chaparral powerboat collided with a 26-foot Formula powerboat in Wentworth Cove on Lake Winnipesaukee in Gilford, New Hampshire. New Hampshire State Police said the injuries ranged from a fractured arm to possible internal injuries, and the Associated Press reported that 50-year-old Barry K. Myers was charged with boating while intoxicated.

Our maritime trial lawyers again stress the importance of not operating a vessel while under the influence, and you should know that you could be entitled to compensation if you sustained catastrophic injuries or our loved one was killed in a drunk boating accident. Use the form on this page to have our Boston maritime attorneys review your case or contact our firm today at (800) 392-6072 to set up a free consultation.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime trial lawyers