Police ~ porr of Boating Accident o-pg 218/98 0ttice ol f5arks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

Agency Bldg. 1, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12238

~GENCV;, PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF Precinct/Post/Sector- MARINE PAGE _!_ OF ~ n ,

Date l Day aterway County
07/28/08 MO 1112 PM HUDSON RIVER ORANGE
Locat:on Nearest N Investigated Photo
CON HOOK HIGHLAND FALLS . AtSc.en_e? , y -- Taken? y
V 'i =~....,,..:....:..;:;::;:::===-l
Use Add~ Forms Ii More thaf-1 2 Vesseis . .-VE/>SEL # 2.
Pri.
Operator Name .
1
Address

City/State/Zip

Phone# Gender Age . Birth Date

( )
Owner Name

Address

CityiS!ate/Zip

Yr. Vessel Make Model r.

V2
1986
Fue .P. Length Propulsion Fuel H.P.
GAS
Reg/Doc. # Mtg. Hull I #

Ticket t Ticket t Ticket# Tteket #

Violation io lauon Vio lation Violation

Vessel 1 Estimated Damage Amount itness Name & Ph-One Number essel 2 Estimated Damage Amount

$ 6000 . 00 itness Name & Phone Number

$
escription

TOTAL LOSS itness Name hone Number

DRIVER UNFAMI LIAR WITH RIVER WAS DRIVING AT

-A-cc-id-e-nt_D_e_s_ ~~ ;\ram
cn-p-tion_(_a-tta_c_h_a-dd-it-io-n-al-sh-e~e-ts-if_n_e_ce_s_sa_~_)_ _ _ ..;..__ __ __ _ _ _ _ w- ~ 111

1-
APPROXIMATELY 35MP~ RAN AGROUND, ATTEMPTED TO
MAKE RI GHT TURN TO AVOID SHORE. BOAT FLIPPED V2
ON TOP OF' 5 OCCUPANTS l~ '-.___-/
.._- - - -- -- -- - -- - - - -- -- - -- -- -- ----1 o .. l(
<J
c-M.1\10~

Area of PFD's Nol

Vessel Injury? Severi!y Injury Fatal? Used Used? 8.A.C. Gencter Age Name of Passenger

A 1 1 NU
8 1 6 4 5 NU
C 1 ~ 2 1 NU
D 4
E 1 4 ,.. NU
7=-
G

tp/ar
Investigators Name. Firs1 lnttial Aeviewins1 Ofti~r Date

SGT . M. SZABO CAPTAI N GARY HOSMER

 SUPPLEMENT- NARRATIVE CONTINUATION (RMS)
Juvenile D 1. Original
2. Su lernen1
r7
L2J
Agency ORI Number Agency Name A{j&ncy Report Number

NARRATIVE CONTINUATION
ON 07/29/2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 2340 HRS WHILE BEGINNING SHIFT IN
THE SQUAD ROOM, MEMBER ALONG W ITH SERGEANT SZABO AND DEPUTY
LEE WERE DISPATCHED TO THE HUDSON RIVER FOR A REPORT OF A
CAPSIZED BOAT IN THE RIVER. MEMBERS ARR IVED AT THE DEPARTMENTS
BOAT AND WERE IN SERVICE AT APPROXIMATELY 0015 HAS. MEMBERS
BEGAN TO SEARCH THE RIVER TO THE NORTH, BUT THEN WERE
REDfRECTED SOUTH BY UPDATED INFORMATION FROM THE UNITED
STATES COAST GUARD. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, MEMBERS
WERE FLAGGED DOWN BY A MEMBER OF THE FORT MONTGOMERY FIRE
DEPARTMENT WHO HAD LOCATED THE BOAT. THE MONTGOMERY
FIREFIGHTER REPORTED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL VICTIMS TRAPPED
UNDER THE BOAT WHICH WAS LOCATED IN AN OVERTURNED POSITION
APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET FROM THE WATERLINE IN THE MARSH . MEMBER
ALONG WITH DEPUTY LEE DISEMBARKED THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
BOAT INTO THE WATER TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. UPON APPROACH,
MEMBERS OBSERVED V5 LYING ON THE
GROUND WITH HER LEFT LEG PINNED UNDER THE BOAT. DEPUTY LEE THEN
WENT AROUND TO THE OTHER SIDE AND OBSERVED V3
WITH HIS ENTIRE BODY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HIS HEAD
PINNED UNDER THE BOAT. MEMBERS WERE THEN JOINED BY NUMEROUS
MEMBERS OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING, COLD
SPRING FD, AND CONTINENTAL VILLAGE FD. UPON INTERVIEWING V5, IT
WAS DETERMINED THAT WERE A TOTAL O F FIVE VICTIMS ABOARD THE
BOAT. OTHER THAN V5 AND V3, THE VICTIMS WERE V1
w ~ow
ALL MEMBERS FIRST EXTRICATED V5 WHO WAS
TRANSPORTED TO WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER BY PHILIPSTOWN
AMBULANCE. SECOND TO BE EXTRICATED WAS V3 WHO WAS
TRANSPORTED TO WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER BY HELICOPTER.
-- THIRD TO BE EXTRICATED WAS V2 WHO WAS ALSO TRANSPORTED TO
WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER BY HELICOPT ER. FOURTH TO BE
EXTRICATED WAS V4 WHO WAS TRANSPORTED TO CORNWALL HOSPITAL
BY CORNWALL AMBULANCE. FINAL PERSON TO BE EXTRICATED WAS V1 .
UPON EXTRICATION V1 HAD OBVIOUS SIGNS OF RIGA MORTIS. PARAMEDIC
ON LOCATION REPORTED OBVIOUS SIGNS OF DEATH AND NO CPR WAS TO
BE INITIATED. MEMBER ALONG WITH DEPUTY LEE RESPONDED TO
WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER TO ASSIST BCI WITH FOLLOW UP
INVESTIGATION WHILE SGT . SZABO REMAINED AT THE CRASH

ADMINI TRATIVE
Aepon Contains

Office<{s) Reporting 10 . Number. Name 10. NurQber , .... U_llil,._. ...

DEVOLV JEFFREY A. Pc52 . . .. . . PC52

Ass(gned To By Assigned ba1e

Case Status E~ception Type Date Cleared

Page 8 of 11 Page(s)
 SUPPLEMENT- NARRATIVE CONTINUATION (RMS)
Juvenile , .Original 17
Ag,ncy ORI Number
D
Agency Report N<Jmber
2 . Su emeot L.2J

lncidenl Type

NARRATIVE CONTINUATION
SCENE. CASE TU RNED OVER TO BC I.

MEMBER, INV. CORLESS, DEPUTY LEE AND DEPUTY KENNEDY RESPONDED

TO WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER IN VALHALLA TO INTERVIEW THREE
OF THE VICTIMS (
A FOURTH VICTIM ( WAS TRANSPORTED TO ST. LUKES
HOSPITAL IN CORNWALL WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE THREE VICTIMS AT
VALHALLA SUFFERED VARIOUS INJURIES WHICH CONSISTED OF BROKEN
BONES, CONTUSIONS AND BURNS.-
THE THREE VICTIMS STATED THAT BETWEEN 7:00 AND 7:30 PM THEIR

----I
GROUP OF FIVE FRIENDS MET AT THE CORTLANDT MAR INA IN MONTROSE
FOR A TRIP UP THE HUDSON RIVER IN A BOAT OWNED BY
THE BOAT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A 1986 26' FOUR WINNS LIBERATOR
NAMED "DOUBLE TROUBLE". STATED THAT HE BROUGHT
TWO TWELVE PACKS OF HEINEKENS ON BOARD WITH HIM. THE VICTIMS
STATED THAT _ _ _ FIRST DROVE THEM ACROSS THE RIVER TO GET
GAS AT A GAS STATION. THEY THEN HEADED NORTH UP T HE RIVER AND
STOPPED AT BANNERMAN'S ISLAND NEAR COLD SPRING. THEY STATED
THEY WENT ONTO T HE ISLAND AND STAYED IN THE AREA FOR APPROX 20
MINUTES. FROM THE ISLAND THEY HEADED UP TO THE
NEWBURGH/BEACON BRIDGE WHERE THEY MADE A UTURN AND THEN
STOPPED FOR DINNER AT GULLY'S RESTAURANT IN NEWBURGH. THEY
STATED THEY GOT TO GULLY'S SOMETIME BETWEEN 9:30 AND 10:00 PM,
T HEY EACH ORDERED DINNER AND HAD A COUPLE DRINKS. THEY STATED
THAT THEY WERE AT GULLY'S FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND LEFT SOMETIME
BETWEEN 10:30 AND 11 :00 PM. THE GROUP HEADED SOUTH DOWN THE
RIVER TO HEAD BACK TO THE MARINA. STATED THAT IN THE AREA
OF BANNERMAN'S ISLAND HE ASKED IF HE WANTED TO OPERATE
THE BOAT AT WHICH TIME ---TOOK OVER. THEY CONTINUED SOUTH
WHEN THE BOATSTRUCK A PENINSULA AT A LOCATION -KNOWN AS CON
HOOK. THE BOAT RAN AGROUND, FLIPPED OVER IN A MARSHY AREA,
PINNING ALL FIVE PASSENGERS UNDER THE BOAT.
THE VICTIMS WERE PINNED UNDER THE BOAT IN SEPARAT E LOCATIONS.
THEY STATED THAT THEY ALL WERE YELLING TO ONE ANOTHER TO SEE IF
EVERYONE WAS OK, IT WAS DARK AND THEY COULDN'T SEE EACH OTHER.
STATED THAT THE DECEASED( ., WAS TRAPPED
UNDER T HE BOAT, - - ATTEMPTED TO CALL FOR HELP VIA HIS CELL
PHONE AND TRIED TO HELP FREE - - S LEGS. ALL THE VICTIMS

AOMINI TRATIVE
Ael)Ort Conta,ns Related Repon Number(s)

Otfioor(s) Reporting 10. Number Name 10. Number Unit Date

DEVOLVE JEFFREY A. Pc52 . . . 09/08/2008

Routed To Aeferreo T~

Assigned To Assigned Date

Case Status Exception Type Date Cleared

Page 9 of 11 Page(s)
 SUPPLEMENT- NARRATIVE CONTINUATION (RMS)
Jwenile 1. Original _ 11
Agency Name Agency Report Number
D 2. Su lement L.2.J

Incident Type
A I

NARRATIVE CONTINUATION
. STATED THAT THE FUMES FROM THE FUEL LEAKING FROM THE BOAT WAS
OVERWHELMING AND CAUSED SOME OF THEM TO PASS OUT FOR
DIFFERENT LENGTHS OF TIME. WHILE THEY WAITED FOR HELP TO ARRIVE,
THERE WAS A TIME THAT EVERYONE BECAME QUIET AND EACH VICTIM
THOUGHT THEY WERE THE ONLY ONE ALIVE. THE THREE VICTIMS IN
VALHALLA SUFFERED VARIOUS BURNS FROM THE LEAKING FUEL THAT
SEEPED INTO THE WATER.
THE ONE V I C T I M - - - - - AND OPERATOR OF THE BOAT AT THE
TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS INITIALLY INTERVIEW.ED AT ST. LUKES BY
STATE POLICE INVESTIGATOR MICHAEL SUMNICK. S STATEMENTS
AND RECOLLECTION OF THE CHAIN OF EVENTS WERE CONSISTENT WITH
ALL THE OTHER VICTIMS STATEMENTS. ---STATED THAT HE HAD A
CORONA BEER WITH DINNER AND THAT IT WAS ONLY DRINK HE HAD ALL
NIGHT. INV. SUMN ICK INTERVIEWED THE PHYSICIAN AND NURSE AT THE
HOSPITAL WHO WERE TREATING _ _ _ THEY INDICATED THAT
DID NOT APPEAR TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE ON ALCOHOL AND
THEY DID NOT SMELL ANY ALCOHOL ON HIS BREATH. A STATEMENT WAS
TAKEN FROM BY INV. SUMNICK WHO ALSO STATED THAT THERE
WAS NO INDICATION THAT ALCOHOL APPEARED TO BE A FACTOR IN THE
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. UPON - - - S RELEASE FROM THE
HOSPITAL, HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPT BY INV.
TR ICINELLI FOR FURTHER INTERVIEW. UPON THEIR ARRIVAL AT THE
SHERIFF'S DEPT. INV. TRICINELLI ADMINISTERED AN ALCOSENSOR TO
WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. STATEMENTS WERE TAKEN FROM THE
OTHER VICTIMS AT VALHALLA.
AN AUTOPSY WAS CONDUCTED ON THE DECEASED BY THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS WERE THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH
APPEARED TO FROM DROWNING, FURTHER RESULT S PENDING
TOXICOLOGY TESTS.
- INV. Sl:JMNICK OBTAINED THE RECEIPT FROM THE VICTIMS DINNER Bill A:r - - ---- --.. - -
GULLY'S WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE VICTIMS STATEMENTS. THE
ROUTE TAKEN ON THE HUDSON BY THE VICTIMS WAS RETRACED AND
TIMED BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPT MARINE UNIT WHICH WAS CONSISTENT
WITH THE VICTIMS STATEMENTS. A CHECK OF THE DECEASED CELL PHONE
DETERMINED THAT THE CALLS MADE BY THE DECEASED WERE
CONSISTENT WITH THE TIMES RECORDED BY THE 911 CENTER. PICTURES
TAKEN FROM THE VICTIMS CELL PHONE DEPICTED PHOTOS OF
BANNERMAN'S ISLAND WHICH INDICATED ON THE PHONE AS BEING TAKEN

INISTRATIVE
Report Contains Rela1ed Report Number(s)

Olficer(s) Reporting ID. Number Name ID. 1\11,Jmber Date

DEVOLVE JEFFREY A. Pc52 09/08/2008
# Arrested ..

Routed To Referred To

Assigned To By Assigned Date

Case Status Exception Type Date Cleared

Page 10 of 11 Page(s)
 SUPPLEMENT- NARRATIVE CONTINUATION (RMS)
Jwenile 1. Original r7
Aqoncy ORI Number Agency Name
D
11/;Jency Re;>ott Number
2 . Su I ment L2.J

Incident Type

NARRATIVE CONTINUATION
BETWEEN 2024 HRS AND 2032 HRS. IF ACCURATE, THIS TIME FRAME
WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE VICTIM'S STATEMENTS.
ON SEPT 8TH MEMBER RECEIVED A COPY OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS
REPORT WH ICH INDICATED THE CAUSE OF THE DECEASED DEATH WAS
ASPHYXIA-DUE TO OR'OWNING. THROUGH INVESTIGATION ANO
STATEMENTS FROM THE VICTIMS IT APPEARS THAT THE DECEASED WAS
TRAPPED UNDER THE BOAT, POSSIBLY OVERCOME FROM THE FUMES
IMMINATING FROM THE LEAKING FUEL WHICH CAUSED HIM TO LOSE
CONSCIOUSNESS, l~HALE WATER AND DROWN .
THE CAUSE OF THEACC IDENT IS DETERMINED TO BE ACCIDENTAL.
CLOSED BY INVESTIGATION .

. = . .- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ADMINI TRATIVE '
Repon Contains Related Report NumDer(s)

Officer(s) Reporting ID. Number Name 1,0. Nun\ber Unit Dale

DEVOLVE JEFFREY A. '. Pc52 . . PC52. 09/08/2008
# Arrested

Rou1edTo Referred To

Assii,ied To By Assigned Date

Case Status Exception Type Date Cleared

Page 11 of 11 Page(s)