Crime & Safety

Boating Accident Investigation Continues Into Next Week

Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco said he hopes his department can wrap up its investigation of the July 26 boating accident that killed two people and left four injured next week.

Falco, who attended a ceremony dedicating a new emergency management center in Orangetown Friday morning, said the toxicology report on Jojo John, 35, of Nyack, who was operating the boat, in the early part of the week. John, who was hospitalized for injuries suffered in the crash, has been charged with one count of Vehicular Manslaughter, Second Degree, a class “D” Felony and three counts of Vehicular Assault, Second Degree, class “E” Felonies. The charges could be upgraded once the test results are in. 

"We still don't have the results. Hopefully, the beginning of next week," Falco said. "We are doing toxicology for blood, alcohol and drugs. We will take those findings along with our investigation and present them to a grand jury."

Police believe John was intoxicated when the speed boat collided with a construction barge near the Tappan Zee Bridge. Lindsey Stewart of Piermont and Mark Lennon of Pearl River both drowned after being thrown from the boat. 

Another piece of the investigation expected to wrap up next week is the reconstruction of the accident, which the Rockland County Sheriff's Department is working on jointly with New York State Park Police. He said they are looking at the lighting of the barge, which has been a point of contention in the days since the accident, though the Coast Guard reported that it was in compliance with federal law. 

"Everything should come together, hopefully, by the beginning or middle of next week," Falco said. 

The department is also working to pull video footage of the speedboat's trip that may have been taken by one of the passengers on a cell phone. If they can retrieve any video, Falco said it may be made public after it is presented to the grand jury. 

"The bottom line is we are still diagnosing a cell phone that potentially had video on it," Falco said. 

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RELATED: Grieving Friends, Family Say Farewell to Mark Lennon

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